A Second Chance
by mtnetwarrior
Summary: Taken over from ZaleAcorn. When L is reborn as a child into the world of The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker, can he help his friend Link save his sister from the Forsaken Fortress? Includes other Death Note characters. Rated T for violence.
1. Chapter 1: Pirates and Prisoners

**Mtnetwarrior here again. With my first two stories out of the way and the stage set for more adventures with III, I decided to wait a little while and get to work on a story taken from another writer. "A Second Chance", by ZaleAcorn, is one I felt had a lot of potential, but when I first read it I noticed he hadn't updated for a year. I feel it's kind of sad when someone takes such great work and never finishes it. So I asked Zale if I could finish it for him. He agreed, under two conditions. The first, that only characters that are dead at the end of Death Note be included (so if you liked a certain character from the task force or the SPK, tough cookies, they won't be here). There was one other story-based idea he had in mind, and I think it's a good idea. Please remember that this story is based off the ORIGINAL Death Note story and has nothing to do with my previous two stories. Disclaimer: I don't own Death Note or Legend of Zelda.**

Chapter 1: Pirates and Prisoners

_This is but one of the legends of which the people speak..._

_Long ago, there existed a kingdom where a golden power lay hidden. It was a prosperous land blessed with green forests, tall mountains, and peace._

_But one day, a man of great evil found the golden power and took it for himself. With its strength at his command, he spread darkness across the kingdom. But then, when all hope had died, and the hour of doom seemed at hand..._

_A young boy clothed in green appeared as if from nowhere. Wielding the blade of evil's bane, he sealed the dark one away and gave the land light._

_The boy, who traveled through time to save the land, was known as the Hero of Time. The boy's tale was passed down through generations until it became legend..._

_But then... A day came when a fell wind began to blow across the kingdom. The great evil that all though had been sealed away by the hero... Once again crept forth from the depths of the earth, eager to resume its dark designs._

_The people believed that the Hero of Time would once again come to save them. ...But the Hero did not appear. Faced by an onslaught of evil, the people could do nothing but appear to the gods. In their last hour, as doom drew nigh, they left their future in the hands of fate._

_What became of that kingdom? None remain who know._

_The memory of the kingdom vanished, but its legend survived on the wind's breath. On a certain island, it became customary to garb boys in green when they came of age. Clothed in the green of fields, they aspired to find heroic blades and cast down evil. The elders wished only for the youths to know courage like the hero of legend..._

* * *

L finished reading the book delivered to him by an unknown individual. On the inside back cover was written, _"The legend is not yet over. Kira is here."_ "Kira". That word struck a chord in L's heart. He remembered the life he had lived before the peace and tranquility of living on Outset Island. But no matter calm the seas, how blue the skies, the dreams still haunted him. They had haunted him in his sleep. The bitter, cold winds that scratched his body with claws of darkness. Looking over his shoulder from where he had sat, he stared off the platform at the darkness. The demonic, cold darkness. He could still hear their words in his ear.

_'You couldn't stop him... You failed your own mission... He defeated you.'_ The words they had spoken... he knew they were true. He had failed in his mission. But all the same, he couldn't cry. He couldn't. He had been given a second chance. Perhaps not from where he remembered, but all the same... L shook his head and stared back at the ocean beyond the platform. The memories of his past life still haunted him. He had decided to live out his new life with his new friends. They had claimed to have found him on the beach, like a piece of driftwood. They had taken him in. But still, no matter how he tried to bury his past, one word kept appearing in his mind. One single word. "Kira."

"Hey! Big brother! Ryuzaki!" L turned to see where the voice had come from. Seeing no one, excluding the young boy laying sprawled across the platform, he dismissed the thought from his mind before turning back toward the ocean on the other side of the platform, where he saw a young girl. "Good morning, Ryuzaki!," the girl said, grinning. "Hello, Aryll," L said as he stood up into his slouching position. Aryll stared at the sleeping boy and sighed. "Big brother, come on!" She said, playfully pushing him across the platform as the boy's eyelids fluttered open. "Aryll..." the boy muttered, "just five more minutes..."

"Link," L said, "Have you truly forgotten what today is?" Link stared at the two of them, confused. "Big brother!," Aryll shouted, "It's your birthday!" "My... birthday?," Link asked with a blank expression on his face. Aryll sighed. "Come on, big brother, why do you do this every year? Even Ryuzaki remembers that today is his birthday too!" L sighed. "Just because I showed up on this island as an infant on the day Link was born does not make that my birthday!" Aryll grinned playfully. "Of course not Ryuzaki!," she teased, "But since you are an orphan, apparently, I guess it's our job to choose when your birthday is!" L was speechless. Her idea of logic actually impressed him. Then again, when her intelligence was compared to Link's...

Link pushed himself up from the platform and stared at Aryll, his eyes still half closed. "You're still half-asleep, aren't you?," Aryll asked, grinning. "So what if I am...?," Link retorted. He yawned and sat down on the platform, rubbing his eyes. "I'll just never understand how you can sleep up here! Grandma says you'll get a cold!," Aryll exclaimed. "Link, you should listen to your sister, her advice may actually come in handy some day," L said coldly. Link winced, as he did whenever L spoke like that. "Then how come you can come up here, Ryuzaki?," Link asked, trying to sound cold like L, but failing miserably. L sighed. Link had always tried to act tough, but he could never put his words into actions. He smiled then. Staring off, over the edge of the platform and out onto the great sea. In the distance, he could see what appeared to be a man with wings and a beak like a bird. "Quill's here," he said prompting Link and Aryll to turn around.

Aryll laughed, seeing the seagulls that followed the postman. Link grinned, because that meant the mail was coming. Everyone in the village knew Quill, the Rito postman. He came to their island every Friday to deliver mail. "Oh, yeah!," Aryll said, turning to her brother, "Grandma wants to see you! She said she has something important to give you!" Link sighed. "But I'm so tired! Can't I just sleep a little...?" "No!," Aryll said, hands on her hips. Smiling, L began to descend the ladder. Just listening to these two argue made his day. He stepped down off the ladder and began to walk towards Link and Aryll's house. Walking through the grass from the platform to the house when he was greeted by a young girl carrying a jar on her head. "Happy birthday, Ryuzaki!," she said happily.

"Hello, Sue-Belle," L said cheerfully, even though that one word sent shivers down his spine. Birthday. Beyond. BB. He shivered from that memory. He remembered it clearly. Sue-Belle stared at him oddly. "Are you okay?" L just nodded. He couldn't tell her, he couldn't tell anyone. They would think he was crazy. He continued walking until he heard another voice, this one came from higher up. "Ryuzaki!," shouted the voice, "Happy birthday!" L winced again. He hated that word. It dredged up too many painful memories. Nonetheless, he looked up at the source of the voice, an old, short man with a big head. "Good morning, Sturgeon," L said calmly, "How are you today?" "Just fine, just fine!," said Sturgeon. The old man had taken quite a liking to L because of his intellect. "By the way, Link's grandmother told me that she had something to give you."

"Thank you," L said, as he continued walking toward the house. He knocked on the door, and entered. "Ryuzaki, welcome back!," said Grandma as she entered the parlor. "It's nice to be back in this house, rather than outside on that platform, Grandma," said L, using the name she had told him to call her. "Where's Link?," Grandma asked, noticing that he was missing. L sighed. "He's outside, fighting with Aryll. Nothing new." Grandma pouted. "Really? That's too bad. I was all ready to give him his-" The door began to open, cutting Grandma off. Link stepped inside and sighed. "Sorry I'm late," he said apologetically, "I was running over here when Sturgeon cut me off and began telling me about the wonders of Chu Jelly." He was referring, of course, to the substance dropped by the gelatinous Chuchus.

"Well, now that you're here, I guess I can give you your present," Grandma said. She handed each of them a box. L's was black, and Link's was green. Link quickly tore open his box and pulled out what appeared to be a green tunic. He stared at it for a second, before looking up at Grandma with a fake smile on his face. "Um... Just what I... Er... Wanted?," he said, uncertainly. He then looked mischievously at L, obviously thinking that he would get the same thing. L opened his box and smiled at the present inside. It was a strange book. "The Adventurer's Bestiary...," he whispered, "Fascinating." Inside were pictures of monsters with captions. One was a strange blob-like creature that seemed to pulse with electricity. Another was a creature resembling a pig that could walk and carried a long spear.

"I'm sorry that I couldn't give you a tunic also," Grandma apologized, "It's just that they're only supposed to be given to boys from the island and... Well..." "I understand," L said, "I'm actually very thankful for this. It's... Informative. Perhaps later I can show this to Aryll. I'm sure these would fascinate her." He was pointing to a monster that resembled a ball of spikes with a single eye in the center. "Although I must ask, how did you acquire this? There are no book stores on this island, and no one in the village enjoys writing, except for Sturgeon, and I highly doubt that he's ever met any of these creatures face-to-face. And there's a very low percentage that this would wash up on the shore completely unharmed. I'd say about a two percent chance."

"Well," said Grandma, completely used to this, "It was written over on Windfall Island, and I asked Quill to deliver a copy of it here." L nodded. "Ah, of course. That makes perfect sense. Thank you very much." He opened the book and began to read. Link, meanwhile, had just returned from changing, and stood there in the green tunic and green hat. L chuckled. "Well Link," he teased, "You look... How do I put this...? Absurd." "Oh, like you look any better!," Link countered. "Actually," L said, "I'm rather fond of my outfit." He was wearing a long, grungy white t-shirt, and jeans. "Well, yeah but... At least I don't look sleep-deprived!," Link said, pointing to the black circles around L's eyes. L smiled. "Well, Link, perhaps that is because I spend most of my time pondering."

Link titled his head to one side, confused. "Pondering what?" "Why I ended up here, of course," L replied. Link said nothing, he just stared at L as Grandma cut in. "Well, tonight I'll be making both of your favorite dinners. Link, I'll make you some Elixir Soup. Ryuzaki, I'll be making you some Elixir Cake," she said, still finding it odd that L could burn so many calories with his brain alone. "By the way, you two, Aryll said that she had something to give you as well!" She turned away and walked into the kitchen, as L and Link opened the door and headed outside. As they left, L looked out toward the sea and saw a small ship off the coast. "Looks like Beedle's in. Shall we see if he has anything interesting?"

They hopped on the ship as it pulled into the dock. Inside sat Beedle, a seafaring salesman, next to a variety of wares. "This looks interesting," Link said as he picked up a small satchel that resembled a pig's head. Beedle smiled warmly. "That's a Bait Bag," he said, "It can be used to store any sort of animal food you happen to find. Two types in particular are sold for very good prices on my ship." L took a look at the price tag. "He always seems to have good, low prices for even the most important items. We should have enough for this, and it could come in handy for helping Rosa to corral her wayward pigs." Link nodded and put the required number of rupees in the box. "Thank you!," Beedle said, "Be sure to come by often for more of my special All-Purpose Bait." "You always seem to find rupees in the most unexpected places," L said as they disembarked from the shop ship. Link shrugged. "Sometimes I just get a feeling. Anyway, we should go and find my sister."

L stared over at the platform across the village, where Aryll was likely to be located. Suddenly, as the two began to head off towards it, a voice called out, "Ryuzaki! Link! It's nice to see you two!" "Hello, Quill," L said as he turned to face the postman, "How was your flight here?" Quill grinned. "It was very nice, the winds and water were quite calm." He then pulled something out of his bag. "I have something here for your sister, Link, do you think you could give it to her?" Link nodded. "Sure Quill, what is it?" "The new addition of Seagull's Monthly," Quill said, "I thought she might like it." "Well, we'll deliver it as soon as we can," L said, "We wouldn't want to keep you here too long. By the way, thank you for the book." Quill smiled. "It was my pleasure, now hurry along! You wouldn't want to keep your sister waiting, would you?"

Link and L took off for the platform then, climbing up as soon as they reached it. Aryll stood there, looking at the seagulls through her telescope. "Hi Aryll!," Link said as he and L reached the top. Aryll turned around, grinning. "Big brother, that outfit looks ridiculous on you!" Link winced. "S-so what?," he stammered, "It's not like I have much of a choice!" "So, Ryuzaki," Aryll said, ignoring her brother, "What did Grandma give you?" L smiled and held out the book. " The Adventurer's Bestiary," Aryll read, "So this book has information on all types of monsters?" L nodded. Aryll looked through the book. "This is actually kind of interesting..." "By the way, Aryll," Link said, "Quill wanted us to give you this," He handed her the package, and she handed the book back to L. Aryll tore open the package and grinned happily.

"Thank you, big brother!," Aryll said as she hugged him, "Now I have something for you! Close your eyes and hold out your hand!" Link did so, as Aryll placed her telescope in his hand. "Ta-dah! Happy birthday, big brother!" "Wow, Aryll, your telescope? You sure?," Link asked her. Aryll nodded. "But only for today! Now, Ryuzaki, it's your turn!" L closed his eyes and held out his hand, just as Link had done, and felt something squeezed into his palm. "Ta-dah!," Aryll said, "Happy birthday, Ryuzaki!" L opened his eyes, and stared at the present Aryll had given him. It was her seagull whistle, a strange whistle that makes a noise similar to that of a seagull. "Aryll," he said, "Are you sure? This is one of your most prized possessions!" Aryll nodded. "Remember to give them back tomorrow, but come on, try them out!," she said, bursting with energy.

Link immediately stared through the telescope at the ocean. "Wow," he said, "Is that a pirate ship? Why's it so close to Outset...?" Aryll screamed, "Link! Ryuzaki! Up in the sky!" Link and L stared upward to see a massive bird-like creature moving through the air. Clutched in one of its talons was a young girl. The girl was unconscious as the strange, helmeted bird flew over the island. It didn't take long for L to realize that the pirates were trying to save her. A single cannonball flew through the air and slammed into the bird's beak, causing it to drop the girl into the forest on top of the island. "Oh, no!," cried Aryll, "What do we do?" "Don't worry, Aryll," Link reassured her, "Ryuzaki and I will save her!" L looked up. "What was that, now? In case you've forgotten, Link, neither of us can fight, and monsters have been reported to be seen in the forest."

"Well, then... why don't we ask Orca if we can borrow a sword?," Link asked. L sighed. "You're not listening, Link. Neither of us can fight! It doesn't matter if you have a sword. If you can't use it, what's the point?" He made a good point. Neither of them could fight. "Then... then we'll just have to learn how to fight!," Link countered. L stared up at him, and smiled. "Very well then, Link. You can learn how to fight. I, however, cannot." Link frowned at him. "And why is that?" "I fight with my brain. You fight with your body," L said coldly, "So why should I have to learn how to handle a sword?" Link gulped, L made a very good point there. He was never good at physical work, and if he got into a fight...

"Fine," Link said, "I'll just learn how to fight." L smiled and nodded. "Alright then, Link, I shall wait by the entrance to the forest. You can come up as soon as you're ready." L turned and climbed down from the platform. He walked up to the bridge that connected the top of the island to the forest. Sighing, he sat on a ledge and stared down at the village. Far below, he could see Link rushing over to Orca's house, which was located directly under Sturgeon's house. Looking across the horizon, he could see the platform where Aryll was supposed to be. But Aryll was not there. "Hey! Ryuzaki!," came Aryll's voice from behind him. "Aryll," L said, "You're not supposed to be here." "I-I know, but..." Aryll's voice faltered, "I just got so worried... about that girl, I mean."

L smiled. "Don't worry, Aryll. If Link is on the case, I'm sure she'll be alright. After all, there is a fifty percent chance whether your brother will be able to save her." Immediately as he said those words, the door to Orca's house opened, as Link rushed out as fast as he could. He had a sword strapped to his back in a sheath. L turned to face Aryll. "I would advise you to hide. If Link were to find out you were here, he would be extremely worried." Aryll nodded and ran off to the side, hiding behind a rock. Link was panting as he reached the top of the cliff. "Ryuzaki," he said with difficulty, "I'm... Ready... To go..." "Link, you mustn't overexert yourself," L said sternly, "If you do, you could be killed."

Link winced. L's words were true, he had to be careful. "Of course, Ryuzaki! I'm all ready to go!" L sighed, would Link never learn...? He began across the bridge, as the darkness of the forest was only inches away. The two entered through the opening in the trees to find themselves inside the forest. The frightening atmosphere of the forest was only increased by its darkness, lit only from high above the treetops. Link gulped. "Okay then," he whispered, "Let's get going." The forest before them seemed to go far back, and the pollen that constantly floated in the air was not helpful. Link stood there, sword in hand, shivering with fear. "Link, are you sure you are going to be alright?," L asked. "I-I... Of course!," Link stuttered, "I-I mean... I'm ready!"

As soon as these words came out of Link's mouth, there was a strange, screeching noise that came from inside the forest. "Wh-what was that...?," Link whispered. L flipped open The Adventurer's Bestiary and began to read. "The Bokoblin, one of the weakest monsters, makes a screeching sound when it smells prey." Link froze, and his skin went pale. The noise came again, but it was closer this time. L stared at Link. "Get ready, it's coming." As these words left L's mouth, a tall, pig-like creature emerged from the bushes in front of them. Its skin was a pinkish color, and it had large ears, and a snout. The Bokoblin opened its mouth and let out another screech. It then pulled a sharp-looking sword out of a sheathe on its belt, and slashed at Link.

Link sidestepped the blow, and attacked the Bokoblin with the sharp end of his sword. The monster dodged, and quickly retaliated with an attack of its own. Link held up his sword and blocked the attack. He then countered by rolling along the ground and slashing at the Bokoblin from behind. The blade dug deep into the flesh, drawing a single trickle of bright-red blood. The creature let out one last weak screech, and dropped to the ground, unmoving. As soon as the carcass hit the ground, Link recoiled, his hand slipping from the sword. L simply stared. "Strange... According to this book, monsters explode into rupees when they die, but I don't see..." Link pulled the bloody sword from the Bokoblin's body, and the carcass exploded into five green rupees and a necklace shaped suspiciously like a butterfly. "There it is," L said.

Link moaned. "Ryuzaki..." he said slowly, "Did that... Did that just happen...?" "Yes it did," L replied, picking up one of the rupees and turning it over in his hand. "We should get going, now. That last screech sounded like a distress signal. If there are others nearby, then this could end badly." Link had just finished picking up the rest of the spoils when he saw the girl. She was hanging from a tree not too far away from them. Just as Link and L were headed towards the tree, though, the screech came again. Suddenly, above the forest, two birdlike creatures flew, clutching a Bokoblin in each of their talons. The birds released the monsters to the ground, as they let out their screech again. "Two of them?," Link cried out, "What's going on?" The Bokoblins let out their screeches again, as L shouted, "Link! They're unarmed! They can't block your attacks!"

Link gripped the blade tightly as he slashed at both of the monsters. As one of the Bokoblins came toward the boy from the front, the other snuck up from behind. Link had just slain the one in front of him as the one behind prepared to strike. It never got the chance. Link flipped backwards into the air and struck at the monster's head. Both of the creatures fell to the ground, slain, and exploded into green rupees. The boy panted heavily, sweat dripped from his brow. L smiled. "Good job, Link. That was an excellent finishing blow." Link flashed L a small smile. "Thanks... Ryuzaki... That was... Hard..." L sighed. "I think that's all of them. We'd better go get that girl out of the tree, now." They didn't have to get her out, though, because at that moment, the girl regained consciences. "Huh? Where am I...?" Her eyes suddenly widened in horror as she realized how far above the ground she was. As she struggled to get free, the branch broke, causing her to plummet to the ground.

"Ow...," she said, "That hurt..." She then looked up and saw Link and L. "What's with that getup?," the girl said rudely to Link. Link's face was one of pure shock. "What do you mean by that?," he asked angrily. L sighed, again. "Please excuse my friend here. He's been taking offense over that... Outfit all morning." The girl looked over at L. "Wow, I've never seen anyone with posture that bad before, and what the heck is wrong with your eyes?" "A lot of people ask me that," L replied. "Ryuzaki!," shouted Link, "She just insulted you! Why aren't you angry?" L smirked. "Because, Link, unlike you, I don't get angry unnecessarily." A voice from the forest's entrance caused all of them to stop talking. "Hey! Miss Tetra! Are you okay?" A man emerged from the forest entrance wearing a pirate's outfit. "I finally found you! We've been worried sick! Ever since that monster dropped you on this island..."

"Wait, that thing dropped me on some random island? That was rude of it...," Tetra muttered. "Well, Link, let's get going," L stated, "Our job's done here." They began to leave the forest, with Tetra and the pirate following them. As they exited the forest, Link saw a figure on the other side of the bridge. "Big Brother!," Aryll shouted, starting across the bridge. Just as she was halfway across, a figure appeared in the distance. "No!," L shouted, "Aryll! Get back!" Aryll turned and started to run across the bridge, but it was too late. The monstrous bird, the Helmaroc King, appeared out of the sky and gripped its talons around the girl's body, flying away from the island. Link reached to grab his sword, running towards the cliff, but L held him back. "Link, you can't jump that far. I'm sorry, but Aryll's gone."

Tears fell down Link's face as he tried to nod. "Why?," he whispered, "Why would Aryll come up here? She knew... She knew that it was dangerous... So why?" "Link, it might be my fault," L said slowly, "Earlier, Aryll came up here because she was worried about the pirate, and when we saw you coming out of Orca's house, I told her it would be best to hide here so that you wouldn't get worried yourself." The sorrow on Link's face quickly turned to anger. "You mean... All along, you knew? You knew that my sister was here? You told her to hide? You're right, Ryuzaki! This is all your fault! My sister is gone now, and it's all because you..." Link stopped talking. He reached for the sword, and took a swing at L, who swiftly dodged. He readied to attack again, but Tetra held him back.

"What do you think you're doing? Stupid kid! Killing him won't solve anything!," she shouted. "Let me go!," Link shouted at her, wrenching free from her grasp. The boy glared at L. He sheathed his sword. "Happy birthday, Ryuzaki," he muttered darkly, and turned away from the group and headed down the island. L said nothing. Turning away from the bridge, he walked higher up Outset Island, where he sat looking over the waves. "What have I done?," He murmured. Tetra simply began down the island, heading for her pirate ship, the events from the day still stuck in her mind. The demonic bird. The little girl. The girl's brother. The strange boy.

* * *

The prison cell was cold. No, not cold, freezing. The young girl shivered as she sat in the corner. She kept mumbling the same thing to herself over and over again. "Big brother will save me... So will Ryuzaki... They'll be here soon..." Mello sighed. He knew the feeling. It was the same feeling he'd had when he was kidnapped. "C'mon. It'll be okay, I'm sure! Here, have some of this." He pulled a small piece of chocolate from his pocket, and handed it to Aryll. "It's been proven that chocolate makes you feel better. Why don't you try it and tell me where you're from?" One of the other girls, Mila, turned away as Aryll began nibbling on the candy. "It doesn't matter, does it? No one can help us. We're trapped here in this cell." She sighed. "All we can hope for is that the ruler of this island is nicer then we think he is, and lets us go." "We might have some trouble with that," said Mello, "I was the first person in here. It's a miracle that I saved up all that chocolate. I mean, I'd probably be dying of withdrawal right about now if I didn't have it."

Another of the girls, Maggie, looked over at him. "What do you mean by 'we might have some trouble with that'?" Suddenly, the doors to the room opened as a large man walked inside. "Well," he said coldly, "It looks like my pet caught some more worms today." He walked over to Mello. "What I don't understand is why my pet went after you. Perhaps it mistook you for a girl. I wouldn't be very surprised if that was the case," he mocked. Mello growled. "I'll be free of here some day. I promise you that, and when I am, I'll-" Mello stopped speaking as the man pulled a sword on him, and smacked the side of his head with the flat end of the blade. Mello dropped to the ground, clutching at his head, and moaning in pain. Mila, Maggie, and Aryll watched in horror as the ruler of the island whispered into the cell, "Cross me again, and it will be the sharp end, brat!" Turning, the big man exited the prison, leaving the captives shivering in the cold.

* * *

It was several hours later that L actually began to descend the island. He looked over at the platform where Aryll had been hours before, and felt terrible. It was his fault. He caused it. He continued walking, and finally reached the base of the mountain. looking over at the ocean, L noticed that the pirate ship from earlier was still there. _'That's odd,'_ he thought, _'They should've left by now.' _Then he saw the reason. Link stood in front of the ship, with the shield from his house on his back. "How about now?," he asked the pirate captain, Tetra, "Now can I come along?" "Fine," she muttered, "Let's just hope that piece of wood holds out long enough." "Link? What do you think you're doing?," L said to the boy, "This is highly irrational." "What does it look like? I'm going to save my sister!," Link shouted. "I see..," L said, "In that case, let me help. After all, I caused this to happen, so I must help make it right again." Link sunk his head. "Actually... Quill said it was actually Tetra's fault, since that bird wouldn't even have come here if her pirate crew hadn't chased here."

Tetra stared at the two, back and forth. "If you both want to come along that badly, then who am I to stop you? Just don't come crying to me if you get hurt!" "Wait, you're letting him on?," Link said, pointing at L, "Why?" "Because he has just as much a reason to help your sister as you do," Tetra replied, "Besides, you both helped me, and I don't want to be stuck with any debts." Link nodded. "Okay, but I should warn you, he may not be much in a fight." L smiled. "Well, you've never actually seen me fight." Link looked back at him, confused. He began to walk to the ship, and L began to follow. "Wait," Tetra said, "Don't you want to say goodbye to your family? Not that I care or anything, but you won't be seeing them for a while." "I'm not very good at goodbyes," L said, walking towards the ship. Tetra stared silently at the island, and walked after the two.

A gong was sounded, and the ship began to pull away from the shore. L looked over the edge, and saw his friends from the island waving goodbye. Then, looking over at Link's house, he saw Link's grandmother staring silently towards the ship with tears in her eyes. Link began to wave at his friends and family with misty eyes. L said nothing. He just stood on the top of the ship, staring out at the sea. "Ugh," came a voice from behind him, "How much longer do you think your friend is going to be this way? You got an estimate?" L sighed. "Well, Tetra, I wouldn't worry too much about him." "Hm? And why's that?," the pirate asked. "Link knows what he's doing, despite his appearance," L answered. "Well, are you sure we shouldn't just turn around and take you back to your island?," Tetra said. "Of course not," L replied, "Link and I have a mission, and we plan to fulfill it."

Tetra shrugged, "Okay, if you say so." She walked away from L. L sighed. "Did I truly make the correct choice?," he mumbled, "Should I have chosen to come along?" He looked over at where Link had been, and noticed that the boy was gone. "Tetra," he asked the pirate captain, "Where's Link?" Tetra replied, "I sent him down to learn from Niko." L looked confused. "Niko?" Tetra nodded at him. "Yeah, he's one of the crew, and his job is to help new recruits fit in better." "But, Link's not-," L started, then realized something. Tetra simply smiled. "You're trying to get as much work out of him as you possibly can, aren't you?," L said with a grin. "What makes you say that, kid?," Tetra said, trying to play innocent.

L put his thumb to his lips. "Well, Link never joined your crew, and it will likely take us some time before we can reach the Forsaken Fortress. Therefore, it is highly probable that you're trying to get Link to work for you in the short time between our departure and when we arrive." Tetra stared at him, shocked by his logic. "So, you're an intellectual?" "You could say that," L said as he walked away. Link soon came back up, looking a little worn out. "Niko work you too hard?," L asked. "Not... Not too hard...," Link said, panting, "But he did... Let me have this..." He smiled as he held up a purple bag that had a monster face in it. Tetra looked surprised. "He let you have one of our Spoils Bags? That Niko is going soft..." Link smiled. "This bag can be used to hold items dropped by certain monsters, like those butterfly-shaped pendants the Bokoblins dropped." "I see," L said, "That should come in handy."

* * *

For many hours, L did nothing but stare at the ocean and the many islands that they went by. Eventually, a voice from the crow's nest shouted down, "We're at the Forsaken Fortress!" Tetra shouted down towards where Link was, "We're here, kid! C'mon up!" Soon, Link and L were standing on the deck of the ship, and Tetra was walking around them, "Alright, so it'll be hard getting into the Forsaken Fortress. The entire place is under tight surveillance. This place once belonged to a rival pirate crew we defeated. But now, it looks like someone else has taken up residence." "So," Link said, "How do we get in?" Tetra winked at him. "Don't you worry. I've got a great way to get inside." Without warning, a couple pirates blindfolded Link and L. At first, they didn't know what was going on. At one point Link felt someone slip something into his pocket. After a few minutes, they found their blindfolds removed.

"Alright, you can open your eyes, now," Tetra said. L opened his eyes slowly, and was shocked to find himself trapped in a barrel on a catapult. "Huh? What is this?" Link opened his eyes, too, and shouted, "Why am I in a barrel?" Tetra sighed. "It's the only way inside a heavily guarded place like that." "Are you sure about this?," Link asked, slowly. Tetra closed her eyes and smiled. "Of course! We pirates do this kind of thing all the time!" "How do we escape after we rescue Aryll?," L questioned. "We'll be waiting outside the entrance for a while after you've entered," Tetra explained, "And we'll get you out once you've saved your sister." "Captain!," Gonzo, one of Tetra's pirates, shouted, "The catapult is set to launch!" "Alright! Get ready to launch these two into the Forsaken Fortress!," Tetra shouted back, "In three! Two! One!" "Wait!," cried L, "The angle on the catapult is off! If you launch us now, then we'll-" "Fire!," shouted Tetra.

The catapult launched L and Link high into the air, causing them to fly into the wall of the Forsaken Fortress. The blade Link had received from Orca flew out of its sheathe and landed on the top of the fortress. Link and L, on the other hand, went tumbling down towards the entrance of the fortress and fell in the water. The two pulled themselves out of the water, as they stared up at the Forsaken Fortress. "I'm coming, Aryll," Link said. The darkness of the Forsaken Fortress had completely surrounded L and Link. The darkness was penetrated only by the searchlights that moved over the stronghold of evil, seeking out intruders. The two children stood with their backs against wall, hiding from the guards. As soon as the way was clear, Link and L began to dash from their safe spot, only to be halted by something that vibrated in Link's pocket. The boy reached into his pocket and pulled out a stone.

_"Your sword landed all the way up there? Shoot!,"_ came Tetra's voice from the rock, _"I'm sorry! I apologize! I guess that our aim was a little off..."_ "A little, indeed," L muttered. "Wait," Link said, "How are you...? What's going on?" _"Shut up!,"_ said Tetra, _"The guards will find you if you're not careful!"_ "Right..." Link whispered. _"Anyway, this stone is called the Pirate's Charm,"_ Tetra explained, _"It allows people to communicate over long distances. I stuck it in your pocket before we launched you."_ L sighed. "So now we have to listen to you ordering us around?" _"Yes,"_ Tetra said simply. "You should have let me finish what I was saying before you launched us. Maybe then you would've adjusted the angle of the catapult and we would be all done with this," L said, aggravated. _"Hey! Don't blame us!,"_ Tetra said defensively, _"You'll have to go to the top of the Forsaken Fortress on your own, and save your sister."_

"Alright," Link said, "C'mon Ryuzaki, we're going to the top of this fortress and we're going to rescue Aryll!" "Wait, Link," L said, "Remember that there are guards all over this place. If we're not careful, we'll get caught." "So, maybe we should just try to sneak into the fortress. There's gotta be a way for us to get inside," Link said. He looked around for a bit. "There!," he said, pointing over at some barrels, "We can sneak inside using those!" "A barrel? Don't you think that the guards would be smart enough not to fall for such a cheap trick?" L asked, "There's a very, very slim chance that they would be that ignorant." Link shrugged. "It's worth a try, right?" "Fine," L said, "There is no other way that we can think of, anyway." The two walked over to the barrels and turned them over. L and Link placed the barrels over their heads. The two began moving, using holes in the barrels to see out. When a searchlight or a guard was near, the two would stop moving and let the barrel cover their feet. After a short while, the L and Link managed to get inside the Forsaken Fortress.

"I can't believe that worked," L said, "Those guards must be less intelligent then we thought." Link grinned. "Yeah, can you believe that they fell for that?" "We can't relax yet," said L, "If we're going to reach the top of the fortress, then we'll have to take out those searchlights." Link nodded. "If they catch us, then we'll never reach the top, and the top of the Forsaken Fortress is where they're focused on the most." "Well," said L, "It appears that there's a searchlight not too far from here at all." He pointed at a ramp heading over to a ladder, which reached a platform with one of the three searchlights on top of it. Link led the way, being careful to avoid being spotted by the guards. The two of them climbed up the ladder once they'd reached it, and proceeded to slowly move towards the Bokoblin manning the mechanism.

Link pulled a Boko Stick out of a nearby pot, and proceeded to slam it down on the head of the Bokoblin. The shocked creature stood, dazed, as Link proceeded to hit it again. This time, the blow sent it flying. The Bokoblin flew over the edge of the platform, and fell into the water below, dead. L walked over to the searchlight, and proceeded to turn it off. The searchlights went upward, shooting beams of light into the dark sky. "One down," L said, "Only two are left." The two left the area with the searchlight, and proceeded into a strange hallway that appeared to connect two separate buildings. Going through the door on their left, L and Link saw a large gap in the floor. "How do we get over this?," Link groaned. "Hm," said L, "There appears to be a rope hanging from the ceiling. If we can grab onto that, we can use it to get across."

"That's a good idea, Ryuzaki!," Link complemented. Running forward, the boy grabbed onto the rope, swinging across to the other side of the gap. "Alright, come on, Ryuzaki!," he shouted, "It's really easy!" L looked at the precariously hanging rope, uncertainly, "Actually, Link," he said, "I think I'd better stay over here..." "Oh, come on, Ryuzaki!," Link shouted, "Don't worry!" L sighed. "Fine... I'm going to regret this..." Running forward, L leaped, grabbing onto the rope. Unfortunately, the sweat from Link's hands caused him to slip and fall to the floor below. "Ryuzaki!," Link called out, leaping down to check on his friend. L slowly got up and rubbed the back of his hand. "Considering how daring you were swinging across, I can only assumed that you're sweating due to the anxiety of getting caught."

Link looked up form where L lay on the ground and gulped. "And it looks like it was well founded..." L turned behind him to see a Moblin standing there. "Oh boy..." The next thing the two of them knew, they were thrown into a small cell. As Link got up, the Pirate's Charm began to vibrate. _"I can't believe you got yourself caught,"_ Tetra said, _"Don't worry though, if I remember correctly there should be a secret passage out of the cell you're in."_ L looked around the cell. "There, behind those pots on the shelf." He climbed up and moved the pots out of the way, followed by Link. In the adjacent room was a large chest. Curious, Link opened it. "Link," L said, "Those things may be booby-trapped." Link found something inside the chest. "Or they may hold something interesting. In his hand was a heart-shaped crystal with a heart-shaped ruby in the center.

L started at it. "I think that's a gem called a Piece of Heart. If the stories are true, four of these collected can improve one's overall health." Link tucked the piece of heart into his satchel. "Maybe we can more of them elsewhere, but for right now let's get back to saving my sister." Returning to where they were before L fell, he said to Link, "Make sure you wipe your hands first this time." Link sheepishly wiped his palms on his pants. Then the two of them swung across to the hole to the other side. Once L was safely across, he began panting. "Never... Want to do that... Again..." "Let's get going," Link said, "We need to get rid of the other two searchlights." Leaving through a door on their side of the hole, the two found themselves outside again.

"Every hallway looks the same!," Link complained, "How are we going to know where we are?" L looked over at his friend. "Link, we don't have time to complain! We have a mission to take care of, first and foremost." Link sighed. "You're right, Ryuzaki, as always. We have to find the other two searchlights!" L looked to the left of where they were. "There seems to be another one right over there," he remarked, "We just need to climb up that ladder and we'll be able to get there." After they were on the guard's platform, L and Link crept silently toward the Bokoblin on the searchlight. Link grabbed another Boko Stick out of a nearby pot, and proceeded towards the guard. The Bokoblin smirked, jumped up, and rammed the Boko Stick that it held into Link's chest.

The boy cried out in pain as he flew backwards, and the guard readied to smash into him again. Then, there was a crash, and the guard let out a weak screech and died. There, behind the corpse, stood L. In the back of the Bokoblin's head were many shards from the pot close to the ladder. The dead monster exploded into rupees. "Ryuzaki!," Link said, in shock, "D-did you...?" He glanced at the Bokoblin. "Yes," L said in his monotone, "I figured that the guard would know that the other searchlight had been turned off." He looked over at the platform. "So I knew that it would try to catch you off guard, which it did." "I... should've been more careful, right?," Link asked, "I mean, if you hadn't been quick enough, I would've been killed."

L nodded. "There is a ninety-eight percent chance that the other guard on that searchlight will be expecting us when we get there, just as this one has." "And we can bet that the other guards are gonna know about this too," Link said, "I guess that we need to be even more careful now." "But first," L said, "We need to disable the searchlight." He walked over, and shut off the second searchlight. "Let's get going. The sooner we turn off that other searchlight, the sooner we can rescue Aryll, and any other captives that are being held here." Link nodded, and headed towards the ladder. As the two began back into the fortress, they circled around to where they started, and instead headed through the opposite door. When they entered the room, they quickly noticed a treasure chest on the other side of a large chasm.

"Must we?," L asked to Link, whose face was beaming, "We have to save your sister, remember?" "It'll only take a second!," Link protested, "After that, we can get over to the other searchlight and turn it off too!" "Fine, do as you must," said L, irritably, "After all, it's not my sister who's rotting in prison." He'd hoped Link would get the message; they had no time for treasure. Of course, Link went and swung across the pit, and opened the chest. "What did you find?," L asked, hoping that it would be something that they actually needed to make up for the lost time. "It's... A map," answered Link, "It looks like a map of the fortress." "A map? Perhaps it was useful opening that treasure chest," L said, "Does that map show where the third searchlight is?" "Yeah," Link said, holding it out so that he could see it better, "It says that it's... Through that door." He pointed towards the other door on the platform. "Well," L muttered, "It wasn't useful at all, if that's what it says."

Link swung back over, and the two of them went through the door. They walked through the hallway, and climbed the ladder that led to the searchlight. "Okay," L said, "The Bokoblin is probably waiting for us. We'll each take a stick, and take opposite sides. You go left, I'll go right." Link agreed, and the two crept silently from their sides, until they both reached the Bokoblin. The creature made no movement towards them, and died quickly when they both struck its head with their Boko Sticks. "That's odd," L said, confused, "I expected it to attack us as soon as we got up here, but it didn't." "Maybe the other one was just smarter?," volunteered Link, "This one didn't move, even when we were right behind it." "Perhaps," whispered L, turning off the final searchlight.

After they'd snuck around the entire fortress, the two found themselves on the roof, right near another guard. "Another one?," Link asked, looking at the pig like creature, "Ryuzaki, what does that book say about Moblins?" L pulled The Adventurer's Bestiary out of his pocket and turned to the page that detailed Moblins. "A foolish, pig like species," he read, "Moblins are easily tricked, but are vicious when provoked. Proceed with caution, as they are some of the most dangerous monsters alive when enraged." L found this somewhat amusing, all things considered. "Alright," Link said, "We can use those barrels to sneak by it, but what about...?" He pointed at a rat that scurried around the ground. "Ryuzaki?" "Rats," L read, "The exact opposite of Moblins, if such a thing existed. Rats are highly intelligent, but are weak. Some have opened stores to those who feed them bait. Will steal rupees."

Link moaned. "So we've got to worry about big monsters that are stupid, yet strong, and small monsters that are smart, but weak? How do we do this?" L smiled. "Simple. The Rats can alert the Moblins of our presence, so we'd be best to be careful to not have those creatures find us." "So, if we can avoid the Rats, we don't need to worry?," Link asked. L nodded. "Yes." Link sighed. "Alright, then let's give it a try!" L and Link snuck over to the barrels, placed them over their heads, and headed towards the ramp that led upwards. They were able to reach the top of the fortress without too much trouble, somehow avoiding the Rats that scurried across the floor. "Now," L said, pulling the barrel off, "We're almost done here. Now we've just got to head up and enter the room where they keep the prisoners."

They began heading further upwards when they noticed another gap in the floor. This one, however, didn't have a rope hanging from the ceiling. Link groaned. "What now?" L smiled. "Also simple." He pointed at a small ledge. "We can sidle across that ledge, there." "S-sidle?," Link asked, "But we'll..." He looked down at the long drop, and gulped. "There are no other options," L said, flatly, "It's either that or..." He broke his sentence off, and glanced towards the top of the fortress. Link understood. Feeling brave, he pressed his back to the wall. He slowly began to move across the large gap in the ground. As Link reached the other side, he let out a breath of relief. "Ryu-Ryuzaki..." he said, panting, "It's your... It's your turn..." The other boy looked at the gap, the treacherous fall, and said, "I'm not-" "Ryuzaki!," Link yelled. "Fine," L said, placing his back to the wall as Link had done. He moved across the wall, hoping that he wouldn't fall.

At last, he reached the other side, and looked over at Link, "I never... Want to do that again." Continuing onwards, the two finally reached the top of the Forsaken Fortress. "Hey!," Link shouted, "It's my sword!" He ran over and grabbed it, just as spikes flew out of the ground behind them. They turned back, and saw a large, green Bokoblin, wielding a wickedly curved sword, and a wooden shield. Link unsheathed his blade, and leapt at the Bokoblin. The creature blocked his strike, and retaliated with an attack of its own. Link quickly blocked this, and the Bokoblin's sword flew out of its hand and onto the platform. L ran over and picked up the weapon, which was, admittedly, strange. Considering that L was never the athletic type, him wielding a sword-or any weapon, for that matter-was very odd. Nevertheless, L swung at the Bokoblin, cleaving its shield in two, as Link jumped forward, and stabbed his sword, Orca's sword, into the monster, killing it. As Link pulled the weapon out, the Bokoblin exploded into green rupees.

"Thanks, Ryuzaki," he said, turning towards his friend, "You helped distract it, which let me finish it off." L smiled at his friend. "Never mind, my friend. I've never used a weapon before. It was oddly... Exhilarating." He chuckled, and through the sword over the edge of the platform, and into the sea. "Well," he said, turning back towards Link, "Let's go. I'm sure that your sister would love to see you, aren't you?" Link grinned, and opened the large, wooden doors in front of them. As soon as they entered the doors, the prisoners within the cell looked over at them. All at once, Aryll leapt up and ran over to the cell door. "Big brother!," she shouted, happily, "Ryuzaki!" Link ran forwards, grinning. "Aryll! We're here to save you!" "Wait," said another prisoner, running to the front of the cell, "Ryu-Ryuzaki? You're...?"

"Mello?," L said, in shock. Mello was one of the boys at Wammy's House and one of the top two choices to be his successor. "L!," Mello said, "You've got to get out of here, now! The ruler of the Forsaken Fortress is-!" There wasn't much time to explain, as the Helmaroc King burst through the ceiling, and grabbed both L and Link in its talons. "Hey! Let me down!," Link shouted, "Aryll!" "Big brother!," she screamed, sobbing. "L!," Mello yelled. "Aryll! Mello!," L cried out. Everything was happening so fast. They'd finally got to the top of the fortress, and were so close to saving everyone. Then... They were flying upward, towards the sky. L saw, out of the corner of his eye, a boat. It had been converted into part of the fortress. On the boat stood a man. A cruel-looking man. At his sides were two long sheaths.

He gestured towards them, as L heard, "Wait." Another man came outside, and looked over at L. "Well, L, I guess you lose again." "Light... Yagami...," L muttered. The other man smirked, and gestured at the Helmaroc King. The bird nodded, and threw L and Link across the ocean. L had no time to think. Everything was going far too quickly. Aryll... Mello... Both were so close to being saved, yet so far. And then, he remembered, just before he fell out of consciousness, _"Well, L, I guess you lose again." 'It's him,'_ L thought, _'Light is here... Kira is here... Someone knew this and they sent me a warning. If I can somehow survive... I have a second chance. A second chance to beat Kira and put these nightmare to rest.'_ This L thought as he hit the ocean hard and began drifting away...

Next chapter: Windfall and Watari

**So there it is. I squashed together all the original chapters into one. And Zale, I hope you don't mind too much of some of the additions I've made. I'm up to the point where he stopped and from this point forward everything is going to come from my mind. See you next time, so read and review.**


	2. Chapter 2: Windfall and Watari

******Disclaimer: I don't own Death Note or Legend of Zelda.**

Chapter 2: Windfall and Watari

Aryll sat in the cell in the Forsaken Fortress, her head buried in her lap. _'Brother... Ryuzaki...'_ The two most important people to her besides her Grandma had been snatched up just like that, and now she didn't know where they were. Mello couldn't help but feel sorry for her. He had been the leader of the pirates who used to own the fortress, all of them his old associates from The Mafia. He hadn't told the others because he knew that there was no way to escape the cell they were in without the key. _'No need to get their hopes up only to dash it to pieces. Still, I should say something to her.'_ He sat down next to Aryll. "Cheer up," he said to her, "I'm sure your brother and Ryuzaki are alright." Mila walked over to her. "That reminds me, why did you call one of those boys L earlier?"

Mello stared blankly. How could he explain this? He couldn't tell them about his past life, they'd call him nuts and think he was in here too long. "Not sure," he finally said, "That boy in the white shirt just reminded me of someone." Aryll looked over to him. "Have you... Have you ever been to an island called Outset?" Mello thought for a bit. "I think I may have at one point or another. Why, is that where you're from?" Aryll nodded. "I get it," Mello said, "You're wondering why your friend knew my name. I think I may have run across him somewhere along my travels. I've been all over the Great Sea but I don't always remember the people I meet." Mila seemed convinced. "I guess that's okay."

As she walked off, Mello couldn't help but think how much Mila reminded him of Halle Lidner. Halle... Even though she was ten years older than him, the two of them had a secret relationship he was sure only Near knew of. "Why do you think we were all kidnapped?," Maggie asked, snapping Mello out of his thoughts. He lowered his head. "My guess, they're looking for someone. It's the only reason that bird is still being sent out to capture people. Judging by the prisoners so far, I'd say the master of this fortress is looking for a young girl with blonde hair, blue eyes, and long, pointed ears. However, the Helmaroc King's intelligence is limited, and while it has good eyesight, it can't easily differentiate male from female, or hair color judging from Maggie." Aryll nuzzled a seagull that had flown into the cell. "Why is he looking for this girl?" Mello shrugged. "That I couldn't tell you."

* * *

Light walked onto his master's balcony. As usual, he was overlooking the Great Sea, waiting for his pet to bring back another prisoner. "Are you sure that bird can find her, Lord Ganondorf?," Light asked. Ganondorf turned his head to look at Light. "I'm starting to wonder the same thing. I would have sent someone with more intelligence, but the only servants I have with such mental facilities are either needed here or safe-guarding the creatures we sent to the four points in the Great Sea. But tell me, how do you know of the boy known as L?" Light smirked. "Someone I knew from a previous life." "Someone you defeated from your words," Ganondorf said, "And if he survived, you've lost the powers you had in that previous life."

"I understand that," Light said, "If I may, you seemed to recognize the other one, the one in green." Ganondorf turned back toward the sea. "I am older than I appear. I have lived for centuries thanks to the gifts granted to me by the Triforce of Power. Twice now I have had to deal with young men similar to the boy we saw earlier. I recognized his blood. It is the blood of the hero, the one thing that could stand against me." Light moved to stand next to his master. "Then it's a good thing he's gone now, and L too." "If only it were that simple," Ganondorf said, "Experience has taught me never to underestimate those possessed of the spirit of the hero. That boy will be back, just not right away. He will take the time to prepare, come at us when he has built up his strength. And at worst, he may find the very sword that was used to defeat me in the past. The Blade of Evil's Bane..."

* * *

The memories of his life before rushed through L's mind. He was alive, he knew he was alive. The very fact that he had another chance to defeat his old foe kept him alive somehow. From someplace distant, yet almost close-by, he heard someone say, "Ryuzaki... Ryuzaki..." Slowly opening his eyes, he saw a very familiar old man standing above him. "Wa... Watari..." Slowly, L got up and rubbed the back of his head. "Looks like you've come to," Watari said. He helped L to his feet. "You washed up here about a half hour ago, barely alive. The Rito alerted me to your presence." "Rito?," L said, confused, "Just where am I?" Watari pointed to the large mountain nearby. "On the home island of the Rito people, Dragon Roost Island." L sunk his head. "Watari, there's something you should know..."

"I already do," Watari said, "It's Kira. You see Ryuzaki, I was the one who sent you that book. It is the Book of Mudora, and it contains the entire history of the ancient world. When I heard from Quill about you and Link, I had to tell you what was going on. Since I had no ship, sending you that book was the next best thing." He walked toward the mountain. "Let's go meet the Rito's chieftain. He will explain everything to you. And I wouldn't worry about Link. The King of Red Lions went off to pick him up. They should be here very soon." L followed his old mentor. Everything was happening so fast, but now he was starting to get a better grasp of it. And once he had the full story, he could reunite with Link and make a plan of action. _'Don't worry Aryll. We'll find a way back to you somehow, I promise...'_

* * *

"...Link... Up Link..." Link groggily opened his eyes at the sound of the deep voice. Getting up, he found he was on a bright red boat. However, as far as he could see he was the only one around, so where had the voice come from? "Looks like you've finally risen," came the voice again. As Link looked around, he saw the lion's head decoration on the front of the ship turn around. "Greetings, young Link. I am the King of Red Lions." "Ahhhh," Link screamed as he fell backwards, hitting his head on one of the sitting boards of the boat. The King of Red Lions laughed. "Sorry to have given you a fright there young one." Link rubbed the back of his head. "Well, it's not everyday you meet a talking ship." The King of Red Lions nodded. "Indeed, for I am the only talking vessel on these waters. I saw you and your friend attempt to storm the Forsaken Fortress. A noble effort, albeit foolish."

"What was I supposed to do?," Link said angrily, "My sister was kidnapped by that giant bird from the fortress." "I know," the King of Red Lions said, "And as you've seen, she was not the only one. For the last few months now, the evil master of the fortress has been sending that giant bird, the Helmaroc King, to various islands hoping to find the one girl who can give him what he needs. That man's name... Is Ganondorf. He was believed to have been sealed away centuries ago, but he has somehow escaped. And worse, he has joined forces with a being from another world altogether. This man is known only as Kira, and has been taught very dangerous magic by Ganondorf." Link remembered the man he had seen just prior to being flung almost half-way across the Great Sea. "I think I've seen these two. Ganondorf was the larger one I think, and my friend Ryuzaki called the other one Light Yagami."

"Then he knows more of the one known as Kira than I," the King of Red Lions said, "How and why I think it best not to question, for the answer may simply be that Ryuzaki is from the same world." "Impossible," Link said, "He washed up on Outset as an infant on the same day I was born." The King of Red Lions laughed. "If you think that, you must not believe in the concept of reincarnation. Regardless, I would not ask Ryuzaki of it. Anyway, I've been getting off topic. Link, you may already know this, but you are no match for either Kira or Ganondorf as you are. Fortunately, I know of a powerful tool you can use to defeat them with relative ease. But to get it, we must travel to three different islands. Each will have great trials for you to face, but should you overcome them, not only will you prove yourself worthy of wielding this tool, you will also grow stronger than you ever thought possible. So then, will you accept this challenge?"

Link clenched his fist. "Even if I wanted to say no, I couldn't. My sister is counting on me and Ryuzaki to save her. So yeah, I'll do it. Where do we start?" The King of Red Lions hung his head in apparent embarrassment. "Actually, there's something I must tell you before we begin. You see, even though I am a boat with the ability to speak, I possess no sail. Without one we can not travel very far from here. But fear not, for I have brought you to the perfect place to find what we need." He turned toward the island they were near. It seemed to have far more buildings and people than Outset. "This is Windfall Island," the King of Red Lions said, "It is an island where many merchants gather. Almost everything unliving is sold here, so someone may possess a sail to sell. However, do not feel you have to be limited to that alone. There are many goods to be purchased here, and it's best to prepare for a long journey."

Link nodded and disembarked onto the island. As he entered the main square, his stomach rumbled. "Man, what I wouldn't give for some of Grandma's Elixir Soup..." Spotting a cafe, he walked inside. Sitting at the bar, he looked around. _'I don't think I've ever seen so many people on one island.'_ "Hi there," came a cheery voice. Link looked to see the waitress of the bar. She had beautiful blonde hair and bright blue eyes. She looked really friendly. "My name's Misa," she said, "Can I take your order?" "Just a milk please," Link said, "Oh yeah, and do you know where I can find a sail around this island? I need one for my ship." Misa thought for a bit. "I think Mr. Zunari had something like that. His boat crashed here about a week ago and he's been selling off the parts that haven't been completely destroyed."

Link finished his milk and payed a few extra rupees for a tip. Walking around the island, he happened upon a stone building. Curiosity led him inside, where he saw a man dressed in an unusual green jumpsuit. The man suddenly looked up and saw Link. "Goodness me! That green tunic! There's no mistaking it, you must be a forest fairy!" "Uh...," Link said, not sure what to say. "Please Mr. Fairy," the man said, "You must press that switch over there and release me from this prison." Link scratched his head, but decided to go ahead. After the door to the prison swung open, the man walked out. "Thank you, Mr. Fairy. Oh, I forgot to introduce myself. My name is Tingle. I must give you something to thank you for this." He started to do an unusual dance. "Kooloo-Limpah! Become... An item!" From somewhere Link decided not to think about, Tingle produced an unusual hand-held device.

"This is the Tingle Tuner," Tingle explained, "It will let you contact me at my home island. And here..." He handed Link a chart. "This will let you know how to get to my island. Farewell for now Mr. Fairy." And with that, the strange man walked out. "That," Link said, "Was weird." He took a look at the chart Tingle had given him. _'This just looks like some crayon drawing. My sister could have done a better job. And what are these creatures he drew on the map? I'm not sure I'll be able to make heads or tails of this. Maybe when I find Ryuzaki he can help me understand it.'_ Seeing a small opening in the wall in the back of the cell, Link pushed aside the crate in front of it and carefully crawled through it into the maze behind the prison. Soon enough he came across a small cave with a treasure chest inside.

When Link opened it, his eyes widened. "It's one of those Picto Boxes. I wonder who could have put this here?" He put the Picto Box in his satchel and made his way out. "I wonder what else is around here." He took a few minutes to get used to the Tingle Tuner, including finding a way to lower the cost of certain uses. After wandering around, he eventually found his way into a large building with a fun-looking grid game. "Greetings," said the man running the game, "I am Salvatore and this is my Squid-Hunt game. Care to try your luck? It's only ten rupees per play." "Sure," Link said, getting out the rupees from his purse. Salvatore took the rupees and then picked up a picture of a sea captain with the face cut out. "Sacre bleu, ze island is under attack from some monstrous squid. Vou must drive away ze fiends with ze cannon. Each squid is different in length, ze first is deux spaces long, ze second is trois spaces, und ze third is quatre spaces. Destroy zem all within twenty shots und you win."

Link tried his hand and managed to get it done in seventeen shots, earning him another Piece of Heart. "That was kinda fun," Link said, "Can I try again?" Salvatore nodded. "Sure, as long as you have the rupees for it." Link tried a second time and this time managed to get it done in the minimum nine shots. "Wow!," Salvatore said, "That's a new record. Here, this first chart is for winning a second time, and the second one is for setting a new high score." Link tucked the two charts into his satchel. Walking out, he remembered he still had to find a sail for the King of Red Lions. As he looked around, he saw a strange man dressed as if for colder weather. When the man saw him, he said, "Hello there young man. My name is Zunari. I crashed here some time ago and have decided to stay and set up a business. But first I need some rupees to start, so I'm selling the parts of my boat that are still intact."

"Would one of those parts happen to be the sail?," Link asked. Zunari beamed. "Ah, so you're interested. As luck would have it, I was able to salvage the sail from my ship. And I still have it. It's yours for only eighty rupees." Link paid Zunari the money and took a look at the sail. "This looks like it'll be the right size," Link said, "Thanks." He headed back to where the King of Red Lions was waiting. "Ah, good," the boat said, "That sail will do fine. Now then, our first destination is Dragon Roost Island, to the east of here. The wind is just right, so make sure the sail is set up right." Link hitched the sail up to the boat, and they were off in no time. Along the way, Link spotted a smaller island that looked interesting. "Hold on a sec," Link said, "I want to check this island out." "Don't be too long," the King of Red Lions said.

On the island, Pawprint Island, Link saw a strange dome in the middle. Cutting away some of the grass with his sword, he entered a small opening. The cavern inside was filled with Red Chuchus, but there was also a large treasure chest at a dead end in the cave. Opening it, Link found yet another Piece of Heart. "For something so rare I sure run into these pretty often." Link headed back out to the King of Red Lions and got back on course. As he headed across the Great Sea, he saw a group of four people standing on a small platform wearing nothing but undies and diving helmets. "And I thought my outfit was weird," Link said, "Who are you guys?" "We're the Salvage Corp.," the apparent leader of the group said, "We travel the Great Sea in search of treasure hidden below the waves. But right now we've only got enough rupees to pay off our diving helmets. Say, you look like someone interested in treasure. Here, have our last chart."

Link took the chart from the Salvage Corp. "Thanks, I guess." He tucked the chart into his satchel. "I think that's enough for now. How far is it to Dragon Roost Island?" "Not far," the King of Red Lions said, "With this wind, we can be there in less than an hour." Link nodded. _'Things have certainly gotten crazy. First my sister is kidnapped, then I find out some ancient evil has returned. Now here I am sailing the Great Sea on a talking boat to look for some tool needed to defeat this evil. I wonder what that tool is. More importantly, I wonder if Ryuzaki is alright. Maybe there's someone on Dragon Roost Island who can help me find him.'_ As he neared the island, he couldn't help wondering if his sister was alright. And if Ryuzaki was the one Kira, Light Yagami, had called "L"...

Next chapter: Dragon and Damsel

**Don't take this story as direct walkthrough for the game, more like a time-management guide. Anyway, read and review.**


	3. Chapter 3: Dragon and Damsel

**Disclaimer: I don't own Death Note or Legend of Zelda.**

Chapter 3: Dragon and Damsel

As Link approached Dragon Roost Island on the King of Red Lions, the talking boat called out, "There it is. On this island you will find the great sky spirit Valoo. From him you must obtain a jewel of great power called Din's Pearl." "And this pearl will help me find the tool I need to save my sister?," Link asked. "That's right," the King of Red Lions said, "This island is inhabited by the Rito people, so you must obtain their permission to ascend the mountain to meet Valoo first." As they docked on a beach at the edge of the island, the King of Red Lions looked worried. "There is a ring of smoke around the peak of the mountain. That does not bode well. The mountain is in fact a dormant volcano, kept in check by Valoo's power. There shouldn't be any smoke at all."

"Maybe he's sleeping," Link volunteered. "Perhaps," the King of Red Lions said, "By the way Link, I have something important to give you." He regurgitated an ornate-looking baton. Despite what he just saw, Link somehow didn't feel queasy about it. Then again, it was a boat. "This is the Wind Waker," the King of Red Lions said as Link took the baton from its mouth, "It was used in ancient times to harness the powers of the gods. It could prove useful to you." The boat explained to Link how to use the Wind Waker, wielding it much like a conductor's baton. "That was an interesting performance," came a familiar voice. Link turned around. Standing there behind him was L. "Ryuzaki!," Link said excitedly, "You're alright!"

L smiled at Link. "Well, I figured there was at least sixty-five percent chance that we'd both make out okay, though only a ten percent chance we'd wind up in the same location." Link laughed. "Same old Ryuzaki." "By the way Link," L said, pointing at the King of Red Lions, "Where did you find a talking boat?" Link scratched the back of his head. "It's more like he found me. He saved me when I was drifting out to sea." He explained to L about everything he had done since they were thrown from the Forsaken Fortress. L was most interested to hear the name "Misa". "Could it be Misa Amane...?," he muttered to himself, "I suppose I'll have to see for myself." He turned to Link. "By the way Link, while I was here I found an interesting shrine I think you should have a look at."

Link followed him beneath a shallow cave to a pair of small shrines overlooking the sea. One of these looked to have been broken, the other was fully intact. Link saw a set of directions on the intact shrine and new instantly what L was talking about. "I think I can use this," he said, and took out the Wind Waker. Copying the directions, he found he could use it to alter the direction of the wind. Suddenly, a voice next to him said, "Yep, that's a mighty nice breeze." Link looked next to him to see a giant green frog riding a cloud between him and L. Both boys leaped back in surprise. The frog laughed. "Do not worry you two. I am Zephos, the ancient god of winds." _'Better a god of wind than a god of death,'_ L thought to himself as he calmed down.

Zephos laughed. "You seem to be quite talented with the Wind Waker. Well done. Now you may use the Wind's Requiem, the tune you just learned, to change the direction of the wind in eight ways. And since it seems you will both be traveling across the Great Sea, I have a request." He floated over to the broken shrine. "This is, or was, the shrine of my brother Cyclos, the god of storms. I don't know who or what destroyed it, but it has made him quite angry, and now he is rampaging across the Great Sea creating massive cyclones wherever he goes. I'd like you to go and teach him a lesson to stop making so much trouble." Link nodded. "We'll do that, if we can find a way." Zephos smiled and flew off, laughing the whole way. "Well then," L said, "What's say we go meet the Rito tribe? There is someone there I'd like you to meet."

He led Link over to the series of ledges that led up to the main aerie, only to find a boulder in their path. "Well this wasn't here before," L said, "Valoo's rage must have knocked it here recently." Link looked around to see if there was anything they could use to get past it, when he saw some peculiar looking plants. "I think those are the bomb plants Sturgeon once told me about. Once you pick their fuse-like stem starts burning until it explodes." He picked one up and placed it near the boulder. "Fire in the hole!," he said as he and L rushed to get out of the blast radius. The bomb plants quickly went off, destroying the boulder instantly. "Nice," L said, "Let's keep an eye out for more of those boulders." Link nodded. "And hope there are some bomb plants growing nearby. What's the percentage one that?" L thought about it. "Given how prevalent bomb plants are on this island, I'd say about eighty percent."

Sure enough, Link found himself having to blow up two more boulders as they continued. "So Valoo is raging on his volcano home?," Link asked. "Yes, unfortunately," L said, "And that is proving very inconvenient for the Rito. You'll find out why soon enough." They found another boulder at the top of a slope. "Not good," L said, "Given the angle of that slope, placing the bomb plant is out of the question." Link thought for a second, then plucked a nearby bomb plant and waited a few seconds before throwing it. The bomb exploded in mid-air, taking the boulder with it. "That should help," Link said. L nodded, then groaned when he saw the narrow ledge. "I really hate these things." Link looked up ahead. "You may not need to use it." He sidled across the ledge and dropped down a step to another bomb flower, then used it to destroy another boulder. He then dropped down again and pulled out the block the boulder had been on top of, causing the one above to fall and create a shortcut.

L scratched the back of his head. "That works." He quickly rejoined Link as the two of them approached the aerie. "Ahoy there! Link! Ryuzaki!," came a familiar voice. Link looked up to where the voice came from. "Hey! It's Quill!" Quill glided down to where Link and L where. "It's good to see you two again. You've traveled far for not having wings." "Well," L said, "Getting tossed halfway across the ocean and sailing on a talking boat can have it's advantages." Quill and Link looked at L sheepishly. "Anyway," Quill said, "What brings you here to Dragon Roost?" "I have to find Din's Pearl," Link said, "It's important for me to save my sister." He explained the situation to Quill in detail. Quill put a hand to his chin. "Then it's as Watari feared. We should talk to the chieftain about this."

* * *

Inside the aerie, Link spoke with the chieftain of the Rito tribe. "I wouldn't worry about your sister," the chieftain said, "Until the master of the fortress has what he wants, he will not harm any of the prisoners. I would lend my aid, but right now we have our issues to deal with." L turned to Link. "You no doubt saw the smoke at the peak of the mountain as you arrived." "How could I miss it?," Link said, "The King of Red Lions pointed it out. But he said the volcano was being held in check by the sky spirit." The chieftain hung his head. "Normally that is the case, and it allows us to use the volcano's natural gifts to support our society. But recently something has angered the Great Valoo, and it it threatening our very way of life."

"You see," Watari said, "When young Rito come of age, they must make a journey to the peak of the mountain. Once there, they must collect a scale from Valoo which allows them to grow wings of their own. But with Valoo in his current state..." "No one can approach him, right?," Link said, "I think I'm starting to see the problem." "Then you're not as dense as I thought," L said jokingly. Link grimaced at him. "Shut up, Ryuzaki." He turned back to the others. "Anyway, I'm certain that Ganondorf may have something to do with this. Has anyone unusual appeared on the island prior to Valoo going berserk." The chieftain nodded. "A lanky young man, who almost resembled an older version of your friend Ryuzaki." L gasped. "Beyond... Birthday...?"

As L stood there in a daze, Quill turned to the chieftain. "Great Chieftain, while I realize that the issue with Valoo is a Rito problem, perhaps Link and Ryuzaki can still be of some help. Link in particular is a very brave young man. Perhaps he can help your son in some way." The chieftain nodded. "A good idea Quill. Young Link, my son is soon to come of age. However, he is not the bravest of boys, and regardless of Valoo's state I fear young Komali lacks the courage to ascend the mountain. But perhaps if you were to speak to him it may inspire such courage within him. You must first see Komali's friend Medli. She has something to give to the boy." Quill handed link a satchel similar to his own. "Take this Delivery Bag. You may find it useful in the future."

Link thanked the Rito postman and he dragged L up to where Medli was supposed to be. "Jeez Link, no need to grab me like that," L said. "Well," Link said, "You didn't seem to want to move. By the way, who's Beyond Birthday?" L just stared blankly. "A... Bad dream... That's all." Link shrugged and looked around until he saw a young Rito girl kneeling in front of a shrine. Link cleared his throat to get her attention. When the girl turned around, she gasped. "Those clothes..." "Yeah, I know," Link said, "They're stupid. Can we move on?" "Stupid?!," the girl said, completely shocked, "Why would anyone think that? Those are the clothes of the legendary Hero of Time!" L chuckled. "Then I guess the Hero of Time didn't have much dress sense."

Link glared at him. "Knock it off Ryuzaki." He turned to the girl. "Are you Medli?" The girl nodded. "Yes I am. I am apprenticed to become the attendant of the great sky spirit Valoo." "That might be hard with him in his current state," L said. Medli suddenly became sad. "I know. And to make matters worse, it's only made Komali, the chieftain's son, even more depressed. Please, I want you to give this to him." She handed Link a letter. "Perhaps some kind words from his father will help him," Medli said hopefully. "Let's hope so," Link said, "But why can't you just give this to him?" "I need to go to Dragon Roost Cavern," Medli explained, "I need to know what it is that has caused Valoo to become so enraged." And with that, she headed off. "Well," L said, "She's the first person so far to actually compliment your clothes. But somehow, I doubt Komali will be the same way."

When they entered Komali's room, they found the boy looking rather sullen and playing with a red orb of some kind. Seeing the symbol on it, Link thought to himself, _'That must be Din's Pearl. I could just take it from him, but I'm not that kind of person and that would still leave the Rito people in trouble.'_ Komali soon became aware of Link and L's presence. "Who are you two? And what's with the funny clothes?" Link fought back the urge to yell at the boy. "We're here on behalf of your father. He has this letter for you." He handed Komali the letter. After reading it, Komali frowned. "What does my Dad know about this? It's not like he has to go and get a scale from Valoo." "No," L said, "But I bet he did at one point in his life. Don't forget that everyone in your tribe has to go trough this, and your father was no exception."

"So what?," Komali said as he grabbed the pearl, "And anyway, it's not like I can go up there anyway, what with Valoo being angry as he is. Or do you think you can go calm his rage?" Link got an idea. "I tell you what. If I can climb the mountain and get Valoo to calm down, will you give me that jewel you have?" Komali looked at the pearl and thought about it. "Okay. Why not? If you can pull that off, I may even go and try to get one of Valoo's scales." Link nodded and he and L walked out. "I don't know whether to call you bold or foolish," L said to Link. "I need to do whatever it takes to save my sister," Link said, "And beyond that, I can't just stand by while these people lose their very way of life." L smiled. "I think Aryll would be pleased to hear you say that."

Outside the entrance to the cave, the duo ran into Medli. "Hey there," she said, "Did you talk to Komali?" "We did," Link said. He explained the situation, and Medli became very sad. "So that's how it is... Oh, if only I was as good an attendant as my grandmother, I could help Komali more." "You shouldn't blame yourself," L said, "Though considering you possibly have a crush on the young boy, I suppose my words fall on deaf ears." Medli blushed and she became flustered. "Wh-What makes you think I have a crush...?" L smiled. "The way you're acting for starters." Link punched L lightly in the arm. "Don't tease the girl like that." "A-Anyway...," Medli said, still a little embarrassed, "I was planning on exploring the Dragon Roost Cavern to see what could be bothering Valoo but... Well... Just take a look."

Link and L looked to see the chasm in front of them. It was pretty shallow, but the remnants of a bridge cloud be seen on both sides. "That bridge was destroyed a few days ago," Medli explained, "Of course one could have still swam across the spring here except..." "Except there's no spring," Link finished. Medli nodded. "Valoo knocked a boulder down here causing the spring to be plugged up. Of course, I could still fly across, but I need enough height to get started and enough wind to glide over to the other side." "Okay," Link said, "Let me help." He lifted Medli onto his head and stood on a nearby stone. "Check the ash in the air to make sure the wind is right," L said. Link nodded and waited until he saw the ash being blown toward the other side of the chasm. He then tossed Medli over with all his might.

A the peak of the throw, Medli spread her wings and was able to get across no problem. "Thanks," she said, "And here. It's not much but it should come in handy." She threw a glass bottle over to Link, who caught it in mid-air. "I'm glad we could help her," Link said, "But it wouldn't feel right letting her run into the cavern on her own. Still, how can we cross this." L looked at the boulder. It was pretty cracked, and he could see some remnants of the spring still trying to gush up from underneath it. He then looked next to him to see several withered bomb plants. Checking their side of the chasm, he saw the remnants of the bridge made a perfect ladder. "Link, try getting some water from under the boulder, then climb back up here using the ladder. If we can water these bomb plants, we may be able to use them to destroy the boulder and restore the spring."

"Good idea," Link said, and he jumped down into the chasm. Gathering the water in the bottle, he climbed back up and sprinkled the water onto one of the plants. L took the bomb plant and tossed it over to where the boulder was, destroying it instantly. Immediately the water began to rush back in to fill the spring. The next thing blocking their path was a giant pool of lava with statues on either side. "Considering the constant thermal updrafts I doubt Medli had any trouble with this," L said, "But where does that leave us?" Link saw some more bomb plants nearby. "Creating makeshift platforms," he said as he plucked one and threw into the bowl of the nearest statue. The bomb exploded causing the statue to topple. After toppling a second one, Link said, "After you Ryuzaki." L smirked. "I really underestimated your intelligence." The two of them entered the Dragon Roost Cavern.

* * *

The first thing Link saw was a group of three statues. "Those things look like they're blocking the door," he said to L, "Help me move them." The moved the statues based off an indentation in the floor and soon found an opening in the wall behind the statues. Once they were on the other side, the encountered a pair of Bokoblins. "More of these creatures?," L said, "I think you were on to something when you suggested Ganondorf was involved." The Bokoblins attacked Link from two sides, but he simply blocked both of them with his sword and shield. One them tried to maneuver behind Link, only to get kicked in the head by L. "Wow Ryuzaki," Link said as he held off the other Bokoblin with his shield, "I thought you couldn't fight." L sweep kicked the Bokoblin to the ground. "Guess I just needed some motivation." He picked up a nearby pot and threw it at the Bokoblin Link was fighting, stunning it.

Seeing both Bokoblins vulnerable, Link held his sword behind him. In a flash, he spun around like a razor-tipped top and sliced through both of their bellies. The Bokoblins exploded, leaving behind more of those butterfly-shaped pendants. "What are these anyway?," Link asked. L looked at them. "I think they're Joy Pendants. Bokoblins love shiny things." He looked at the nearby door. "It's locked. And neither of our foes had a key." Link took a look around. "What we need is more light," he said as he grabbed a nearby Deku Stick and lit it one of the torches. He then used to light the other torches. Unexpectedly, a chest appeared out of nowhere. L opened to find a small key. "Well, here's our ticket out of here." They continued through the cavern until they reached a massive room filled with lava. "I'd say how surprised I am that there's an active lava flow," Link said, "But this is supposed to be only a dormant volcano."

They made their way through the room until they saw a giant gap in the walkway. L took a look around. Seeing a safe ledge nearby with a block, he jumped down and pulled it out. "This should help us get past." They moved past until they reached a smaller gap. "I think we can jump this," Link said. Seconds later, a giant lava geyser erupted in front of them. "If that doesn't fry us first," L said. They took a second to wait until it was safe, then jumped across. On the other side, they heard some screeching sounds. "I think those may be Keese," L said. The bat-like creatures swooped down and tried to dive-bomb the boys, only to have Link slice each of them in two. Up ahead he saw a rope bridge. "Glad we weren't fighting on that." On the other side, there was another boulder to blow up. After crossing the bridge it was blocking, the two boys came to a room filled with lava with only three spots to safely walk on.

L looked a little nervous. "I don't think we can jump this." Link looked at the oddly shaped pots in the room. Picking one up, he said, "I think these are filled with water. I wonder..." He aimed the pot between where they were standing and the nearest safe ledge and threw the pot. Almost instantly the water caused the lava to harden. He repeated the process to help him and L cross the room, grabbing the dungeon map on the way. On the final ledge, Link waited until a Red Chuchu at the top of a ladder dropped down. He took out the gelatinous blob in one swing and picked up some of the Chu Jelly it dropped. "I wonder if any of the stuff Sturgeon said about this substance was true," L said. In the next room there were some strong wooden that even Link's sword couldn't cut through. "How are we going to get by these?," Link wondered. Suddenly, he heard something move and readied his shield. It was a good thing he did, because another Bokoblin smashed its way through the beams and struck with a mighty blow.

Link's shield held easily, and he knocked the Bokoblin back with a quick push. Before the Bokoblin could recover, Link swung his sword in a vertical arc slicing through the creature. The Bokoblin howled in pain, then tried to retaliate. L quickly grabbed one of the larger pots and threw it into the creatures head. It exploded, leaving its sword behind. "You're pretty brutal towards these things," L noted. Link sheathed his sword. "It's because of them and their master that my sister was kidnapped." L chuckled. "First you blame me, then you blame Tetra, now you're blaming Ganondorf. Speaking of, I wonder what became of Tetra." "She probably just took off from the fortress when she saw us get tossed," Link said, "Whether or not she would be looking for us, I don't know." "She probably would," L said, "I didn't mention this until now, but I think she may be taking a liking to you." Link blushed. "You really think so?"

L smirked. "Well, it is only a twenty-five percent chance. Anyway, let's look around." He picked up the sword the Bokoblin had dropped and used to smash through some more boards leading deeper into the room. Here there were two more Red Chuchus, which Link was able to deal with quickly. He then took the giant sword from L and threw it at some more boards, revealing another treasure chest with a key inside. "Perfect," L said, "I spotted a locked door in the central room of the cavern. We can use this to open it." However, while the only other door in the room led back to the main cavern, the two boys were confronted with a boulder behind some bomb plants growing on the wall. "We won't be able to pluck those," Link said, "What else can we try." L spotted some rocks next to them. "I wonder...," he said as he picked one up. He threw at the bomb plants, causing them to explode instantly. "That works," Link said as the two of them headed through the locked door.

* * *

Meanwhile, in his inner sanctum in the Forsaken Fortress, Ganondorf received word. "It's as I thought. They have arrived at the Dragon Roost Cavern." "They're searching for Din's Pearl," Light said, "But we haven't found it anywhere in the cavern." Ganondorf turned to him. "The pearl may actually be held by the Rito people, and if so Link and L's priority will be seeing to the sky spirit. You're sure Beyond can get the job done." Light shrugged. "I don't know much about him, only that he's the exact opposite of L as far as personality is concerned. But what about the creature you sent to torment Valoo?" Ganondorf grinned evilly. "Gohma has been a reliable, if somewhat unintelligent, minion in the past. And he has gained more power thanks to the energy I have granted him. It will be nigh impossible for those two to destroy his armor shell."

* * *

Link could not believe his eyes. They were outside, on the edge of the mountain. "Why do I get the feeling this a first for this sort of situation?," he asked L. "Cause it probably is," L replied, "Anyway, I think that bridge over there is the best way to go." He pointed to another rope bridge, with a Bokoblin on the other side of it. "Why do I get the feeling fighting this guy might be tricky?," Link said nervously, "Oh well. He is in our way." Link held his shield in front of him with his sword pointed at the Bokoblin. Charging forward, he caught the creature off guard and and knocked it back. It rolled out of the way as Link tried to stab downward, then got up and took a blind swing. Link dodged aside, and the Bokoblin found himself tripping over the ledge they were on. L and Link looked downward as the Bokoblin fell screaming into the ocean. "Well," L said, "That's one way to get rid of an obstacle."

He looked up at the nearby ladder and frowned. "More annoying flame spurts. Well at least they significantly reduce the chances this volcano will erupt with us in it." He and Link carefully climbed the ladder and soon came face-to-face with one of the bird-like creatures from Outset Island. "Now that I get a good look at it," L said, "I think it may be a Kargaroc." The big bird readied its talons and tried to dive bomb Link, who ducked out of the way and managed to get a good swiped on the Kargaroc, causing it to careen into the nearby wall. L quickly grabbed the bird by its beak and swung it around to knock it into the wall a second time. "You know Ryuzaki," Link said as he slashed at the bird as it came down, "You really need to tell me how you know how to fight. Did some old memory come back to you or something?" L just shrugged as the Kargaroc exploded.

Bombing their way past another boulder, Link and L soon found themselves back inside. One minor block puzzle later, they entered a room full of Rats. Seeing them scurry about, Link got an idea. "Didn't you say these Rats will sell things to anyone who gives them bait?," he asked L. "Sure did," L said. Link took some of the bait he had out his Bait Bag and sprinkled some near the mouse hole in the wall. Instantly all the Rats in the room scampered over to grab it, with the last one saluting Link in thanks. L chuckled as he pulled a block out of the wall so they could move on. The next room held more unbreakable boards blocking their way. "Can't cut through these, and there are no armed Bokoblins about...," L muttered. "Why not burn them?," Link said as he grabbed a Deku Stick from a nearby pot. Lighting the stick on a nearby torch, he burned the boards away letting them move further into the room.

Finding another key to unlock a nearby door, Link and L found yet another Kargaroc sitting in a nest. Link drew the big bird away while L grabbed the key underneath it. He then kicked the Kargaroc in such a way that it landed on the point of Link's sword. "And you called me brutal?," Link said as the Kargaroc exploded, leaving behind one of its feathers. Inside the next room the two of them got overrun by Keese. Link swung his sword wildly until all of them were gone. Link then spotted another chest, this one containing a Joy Pendant. "I wonder how full this Spoils Bag can get," Link said. L shrugged as he got another Deku Stick and used it to lit the torches on the other side of the room to unseal it. "Someone went to a lot of trouble to make sure getting through this place was as difficult as possible."

On the other side of the door the boys found themselves back in the main room but on a higher ledge. Link looked around and saw a giant pot identical to one he had seen when they first entered the cavern, only this one had a boulder on top of it. Seeing some bomb plants nearby, Link took one and planted it near the pot. Once the boulder was cleared, Link tried jumping into the pot. L looked into, and a few seconds later, Link come bursting out. "Link you nearly gave me a heart attack," L said, "Though I most likely would have survived this time." Link was to excited to notice. "That pot contains a warp back to the entrance to the cavern! It's a convenient shortcut!" L tried it for himself to see that Link was right. The continued across another bridge into a room with another Bokoblin. Link readied his sword, and slammed his shield in to the Bokoblin causing it reel into the wall behind it.

A pot on a higher ledge dropped down, revealing yet another Bokoblin inside. Link smashed his sword into another pot containing yet another Bokoblin. "Just how many of these things are there?," he asked. "Depends," L said he smashed one of the creatures over the head with a Boko Stick, "Was that a rhetorical question?" Link stared at him as he smashed his shield into the Bokoblin's body. "Right," L said, "Moving on then..." He struck the Bokoblin in the stomach with a swift kick while Link took care of his with a few sword swipes. The third tried to creep up behind Link to surprise, but was caught off guard when L threw the one he was dealing with into it. Link finished off his with a counter-attack, clearing out the room and opening the door. "Let's get some more light in here," L said. He used his Boko Stick to light another torch, causing yet another chest to appear. "I'm beginning to wonder if these chests are under some sort of enchantment that renders them invisible." Link shrugged and opened the chest. "It's another treasure chart," he said, "That's four I've found so far. We should check these when we get the chance, and something to help salvage them."

The walked through the door and found themselves in a large lava filled cavern. "I almost feel like I'm on some alien world," L said, "I wonder what such a world would be called. Brin-something I guess..." Out from lava near a giant lava geyser crawled a centipede-like creature with a single eye. "And that would be a Magtail," L said, "They thrive in lava-filled environments." The Magtail lunged at L, who grabbed the centipede by its mandibles and flung over his head to the larger part of the platform. Link followed it and started slashing away. Once the Magtail was dead, L took a jug full of water and waited until the geyser receded. He then threw the water onto the lava over where the geyser appeared from and leapt onto the now hardened rock island. "Elevators leaving Link," he called out. Link jumped onto the platform just as the geyser shot up.

The next room they found themselves in held a giant door. "I'm betting that door's important," Link said, "But there's no way we'll get through that lock without the key." "It's bound to be around here somewhere," L said, "Let's keep looking." Before leaving, Link found yet another warp jar locked by a boulder. After using another bomb plant on it, they moved on. Once again in an outside portion, the duo headed up some steps when L heard a sound. "Link, run," he said. The two of them headed up the stairs as they collapsed behind them. At the top, Link took a second to take a breath and look around. "Look!," he suddenly called out. L looked to see Medli trapped in a birdcage. "Now that's just cold..." As they headed to save her, the clearing they were in suddenly closed off, alerting two nearby Bokoblins. "Well," L said, "Looks like we fell for yet another ambush." Link didn't flinch, but readied his sword. Blocking the first Bokoblin's strike, he thrust his sword forward. The Bokoblin was barely able to get out of the way, but wasn't fast enough to avoid a blow from Link's shield. L meanwhile dodged the second Bokoblin's sword swings before grabbing him and throwing him across the room.

The Bokoblin tried to recover but noticed its sword was gone. L had swiped it while he had hold of the creature. L kicked the Bokoblin into the wall and dug the sword into its former owner's belly. Link meanwhile had managed to finish off the other Bokoblin. "Okay," Link said, "That wasn't so bad." L looked up. "Don't ever say that again." Link looked up to see what L was talking about. Another Kargaroc was flying in carrying a Moblin. "Oh boy...," Link said nervously. The Moblin swung its spear causing Link to trip. It was about to move in for a finishing blow when it found itself stumbling. It turned around to see L had tried stunning it with one of the pots that littered the room. "Guess that won't work so well with the bigger ones," L said. But before the Moblin could move against him, Link stuck his sword into the big boar's back. The Moblin swung its spear again, but this time Link leapt over it. L grabbed one of the swords the Bokoblins had dropped and took a slice at the Moblin.

The giant pig exploded, leaving behind a swirling orb. "I wonder what that is?," L said. Link tapped it with his sword, causing to explode and scatter rupees and a necklace with a skull decoration. "That looks like a Skull Necklace," L said, "Moblins love them, and they're worth tons of rupees at the right shops." Just then, the door to Medli's cage opened. After flying to the ground, she breathed a sigh of relief. "Thanks you two, I wasn't sure I could make it out of there. Oh yeah, I found out what's causing Valoo so much anger. Turns out, something in the cave below his nest is hurting his tail." "That would explain it," L said, "If someone were to constantly apply any sort of pressure to one of my appendages, I probably wouldn't like it either." "By the way," Link said to Medli, "Just how did you get up here?" Medli brought out a Grappling Hook. "I used this. The Rito used it to scale the mountain in the time before we evolved wings." She handed to Grappling Hook to Link. "I think you and Ryuzaki will get more use out of it then me. I need to head to back to the aerie. The others need to hear about what's been happening."

"I don't suppose you have another one of these," L said hopefully. "Sorry," Medli said sheepishly, "I only brought the one. You guys will have to share." L groaned as Medli took off. Link looked over to a deep chasm with an ornate wooden beam suspended over it. "Trust me Ryuzaki," Link said as he grabbed L, "This is as embarrassing for you as it is for me." And with that, they swung to the other side of the chasm. After a second swing, L almost felt like puking, though not because of the swinging. "When we get back, I'm asking for my own Grappling Hook." "Yeah," Link said, "That actually made me feel uncomfortable as well." He smashed his way through some more boards leading back to where they entered. Continuing to swing down further, they soon came to another room with a rope bridge. A Bokoblin on the other side spotted them and charged forward. Link blocked the first strike with his shield. The two combatants traded blows until Link dodged one of the Bokoblins sword swings, countering with a severe thrust to the creatures belly. The Bokoblin flopped to the ground and exploded.

"Well there goes another one," Link said, "Now how do we move on from here." L took a look over the side of the bridge and realized he could easily see the floor below them. "Link, I don't think it's too big a drop. Try cutting the ropes of the bridge." Link did so and they found themselves in front of another chest containing a Joy Pendant. Link looked at the map. "We're near the top floor of the cavern. That door there leads back to the main room." On the other side of the door they saw a giant bird cage, big enough to hold even the Helmaroc King. L saw a giant lava geyser just big enough to reach the bottom of the cage, which was held up by ropes. "If we can cut all those ropes at the same time..." "I'm on it," Link said, and he readied his spin attack. He waited until the geyser was against the bottom of the cage, then swung his sword cutting all the ropes at once. "Elevator going down Ryuzaki, better hop on." L hopped onto the platform as it started to descend.

Making there way into the next room, the found another sealed door. Link looked around and saw a grapple post that seemed to lead nowhere. "I wonder..." Getting out his Grappling Hook, he swung onto it, and felt it pull down slightly with his weight. Swinging back onto the ledge, he said to L, "Sometimes I can be quite the puzzle-solver." "Clearly," L said, "Have you been taking some sort of brain food when I wasn't looking." Link scratch his nose and smiled. "Guess it just comes naturally." In the next room, Link felt his Tingle Tuner go off. Following it to a ledge directly across from them via a grapple swing, Link set off a Tingle Bomb which revealed a treasure chest. However, the only thing inside was some strange statue that looked like Tingle. "Why on earth did you grab that?," L said. Link just shrugged. "I'm really not sure. Guess I was just curious." The two of them continued swinging through the room until they got to the door. Inside they saw an elaborate blue chest.

"I'd say there's a ninety percent chance that whatever's in that chest is something we need," L said. Just as they were thinking of how to get rid of the flames surrounding the chest, a Magtail crawled out of the lava in front of them. Seeing a switch nearby, Link got an idea. He waited until the Magtail moved in to strike, then stunned it with his shield. Once stunned, the Magtail curled into a ball. Link then placed the curled up Magtail on the switch, causing it to turn off the flames. L quickly opened the chest and pulled out a rather large key. "Something tells me we need that key to open the big door we passed," Link said. As they returned to the door, Link used the Grappling Hook to find yet another treasure chart. Just outside the big door, no doubt leading to the cavern directly under Valoo, Link took a look at some of the pots. "I think there's something moving in these pots." He shattered one to find a tiny flying creature come out. Quickly grabbing it in his bottle, he said, "This must be those fairy creatures Grandma told me about. They can instantly revive a person after they become too weak to move. I wonder why that Tingle character thinks they wear green." L shrugged and used the key to open the door.

Inside, L heard a rather sinister laughing. He looked up. Valoo's tail was sticking out through the ceiling, trapped by a layer of hardened lava. "Well L," came a familiar voice, "You seem to have shrunk a little." L's eyes widened. "Beyond... Birthday..." Link around to see a man who looked like an older version of L swinging from Valoo's tail. "It's been a while," Beyond said, "You must be wondering why I'm here." "Not really," L said, recovering from the shock, "I've already assumed that everyone who has died in our world somehow made their way here." Beyond glared. "Always too smart for your own good. But how do you know I have died?" L smirked. "Did you really think I wouldn't receive word of your death at the hands of Kira? You were one of the people he used to send me a hidden message." Taken aback, Beyond said, "Well... Ah, I got nothing." "You never did," L retorted, "That's why Naomi Misora was able to find out about you and stop from killing yourself."

Link's head was spinning. "You guys are saying things that go over my head." Beyond stared at Link. "Hey L, I thought you usually surrounded yourself with intelligent people." "It's not that Link is unintelligent," L replied, "It's just that he tends to be absent-minded." Link glared. "I'm standing right here you know..." He turned to Beyond. "So, you going to come down so we can fight? I'd prefer it if Valoo's tail wasn't stuck to the ceiling." Beyond just laughed. "Sorry, but my boss needs Valoo to stay as he is until we get the pearl the Rito have. Having said that, I'd be happy to fight you. But you'll forgive me if I prefer to fight on a more uneven playing field." At that moment, the cave started to shake. "I don't think we're gonna like what's making that vibration," L said.

Suddenly, a giant armored centipede-like monster with a single eye emerged from the lava pool in the center of the cavern. L pulled out The Adventurer's Bestiary. "I never thought we'd run into Gohma. That's one of the more rare and powerful monsters. And by the way Link, it can shoot lava from it's mouth." "Then that's the creature that caused Valoo's tail to get stuck like that," Link said, "But not to worry, I already have an idea." He took out his Grappling Hook and aimed it at Valoo's tail. Thinking Link was aiming directly at him, Beyond dropped down onto Gohma's head. Before he realized it, Link had already caused the hook to attach to Valoo's tail. He swung off it knocking Beyond down to ground level. Once Link was on the other side, he saw his plan had worked. Valoo had raged so much he caused the hardened lava to crash down onto Gohma, causing it's armored shell to crack.

As Beyond got up, he found himself kicked in the face by L. "Bet you didn't know I took up Capoeira, did you?," L said to him. Beyond just smirked and tried throwing a punch at L. L ducked, spun around, and nailed Beyond in the back of the head. "We were supposed to be brothers," L said, "But you chose to betray Wammy's House. You became obsessed with being my opposite." Beyond spat out some blood. "And why not? If there is someone who is the world's best detective, shouldn't there be someone who is the world's greatest criminal? Like the Moriarty to your Holmes." L said nothing, as he was distracted by seeing Link completely shatter Gohma's armored shell. "It was never about you becoming a criminal," L said, "I actually relished the chance to match wits with someone as intelligent as myself. It was the fact that you intended to kill yourself at the end, hoping to leave me with an unsolvable crime. Even Moriarty made sure there was at least some clue at the end for Holmes to pick up on, hoping to string him along further and further in hopes of trapping his nemesis."

Before Beyond could answer, he found himself pinned down by Gohma's body. Link had grabbed Gohma's eye with his Grappling Hook and pulled it down to his level with surprising strength. "Impressive," L said, "Not only did you find a way to beat Gohma, you did it without my help." Link grinned. "I can't rely on your brains all the time, can I?" He plunged his sword into Gohma's eye, causing it to reel back in pain. Slowly, it began to harden until it could no longer move, then exploded into dust leaving behind it's eye. That too soon exploded, leaving behind a giant red heart-shaped ruby. "A Full Heart Container!," L said, "Those are really rare. Go ahead and grab it, Link." As Link did so, outside Valoo seemed to be calming down. As Beyond got up, he couldn't help but laugh. "Seems you're stronger than Lord Kira believed, but don't think this... Is... The..." But before he could finish, a dark cloud seemed to erupt from his body, leaving him a lifeless husk. "I guess... Ganondorf had no more use for him," Link said. At that moment, a bright blue circle appeared in the middle of the now-hardened lava pool. "That's our ticket out," L said, "Much faster than going the long way, wouldn't you say?" Link nodded. "We've freed Valoo from his torment, now we just need to collect Din's Pearl from Komali. Hopefully this will also give him the courage to meet Valoo." The two of them stepped into the portal and were warped out.

* * *

The dark shadow that had come from Beyond was gathered at the Forsaken Fortress. "I should have known he was inferior to L," Light said, "How else could L have beaten him so easily in my world?" Ganondorf nodded silently. "At least it wasn't a total loss. Now we have part of the seal ready to hold off the young hero when he finally approaches my true citadel." Light turned to him. "You'll still keep up your end, right?" "Of course," Ganondorf said with a grin, "Once I have the full Triforce, I will use its powers to return your precious Misa to you." Ganondorf did have every intention of keeping up his end of his bargain with Light. He didn't know where Light's beloved, Misa Amane, could be. But he did know that with the limitless magic the Triforce provided once complete, it wouldn't matter. He could bring her from anywhere. _'As long as you continue to serve, Light Yagami, I will hold true to our promise. I have told you no lies, not even half-truths. Just do not cross me, for your new power comes from me, and I can easily take it away...'_

Next chapter: Mailing and Maps

**Considering how I plan to do these chapters, they may be some of the longest I've ever written. Oh, and to those who have read my first two stories, please remember that this story is based off events from the ACTUAL anime Death Note, rather than my altered version. Anyway, read and review.**


	4. Chapter 4: Mailing and Maps

**The song in this chapter is "Memories" by Withing Temptation. I don't own it by any means. Disclaimer: I don't own Death Note or Legend of Zelda.**

Chapter 4: Mailing and Maps

Link and L rematerialized on the shores of Dragon Roost Island. "That was some adventure," Link said, "And look." He pointed at the mountaintop to show that the ring of smoke was disappearing. "You did it!," came Medli's voice. She and Komali were standing not too far away. Komali seemed a little shocked, but a lot happier than before. "That was amazing. I didn't think you could accomplish that. Hearing what you did, I almost feel like I could be as brave as you. In fact..." He handed Link Din's Pearl. "A promise is a promise. Besides, I don't think I'll be needing it anymore. If I'm ever to going to get my own wings, I need to be brave on my own."

Just then, Valoo began to speak in a language that was unfamiliar to L or Link. "What is he trying to say?," L wondered aloud. "He says thank you for releasing him from the torment he was forced to suffer for so long," Medli said. L looked at her in surprise, causing her to giggle. "Part of my duties as an attendant is to learn the ancient language the spirits speak." Valoo began to speak again. Medli looked a little confused. "He says something about using the wind god's... wind? Not sure what that means." "Think it could have anything to do with the Wind's Requiem we learned from Zephos?," Link asked. L nodded. "Possibly. He's the only wind god we know of." Valoo spoke once again. "He's says the two of you are true heroes," Medli said, "And I agree. Thanks to you, the Rito can live in peace once again.

Komali nodded excitedly. "Thank you guys! Now I'm going to go get that scale! I'll get my wings yet, you'll see!" And with that, he ran off. "Komali," Medli said, "Wait up." She rushed off after him L and Link looked at each other and laughed. "Seems things are going to get back to normal around here," Link said, "So what say we look around for a bit." "Sounds good," L agreed. Back in the aerie, they saw a Rito named Koboli hard at work near the main post-office for the island. "Hey there," Koboli said, "You here for a part-time job?" "Sure," Link said, "I guess we have a little time before we have to run off." L watched in amazement as Link sorted letter after letter after letter. "Whoa!," said another part-timer named Baito, "He just sorted twenty-five letters in less than a minute! I have to write my mom about this. Uh... Could you guys mail the letter for me? I'm not allowed to just toss it in with the rest of the mail."

L sighed and took the letter. He walked over towards the chieftain's room with Link, who had a big smiled on his face. "Did you just do that to prove you could?," L said. "Sure did," Link said, "And we got some more rupees out of it." "Excuse me," said the Rito guard just outside the chieftain's room, "My name is Hoskit, and I was wondering if you had any Golden Feathers. I wanted to send some to my girlfriend." L dug into the spoils bag. "Looks like we have about twenty right now." He handed the feathers over. "Thanks," Hoskit said, "I'll have these mailed to her right away." He handed some rupees to the boys. The two of them then headed back to the King of Red Lions.

"You were away for a while," the boat said, "I suspected something was wrong when I saw the smoke around Valoo's home, but I didn't think it would be so complicated. I was able to see everything using the Pirate's Charm you have." Link looked surprised. "How did you even know about it? I don't remember mentioning it." "You didn't," the King of Red Lions said, "But I was able to sense it. Also, I know more about it then whoever gave it to you. I will explain how when the time is right. But for now, we must make our way directly south, to the Forest Haven. There we will find the next pearl we need. And we must hurry, for I fear Ganondorf will have sent his forces there as well."

Link nodded and used the Wind Waker to turn the wind south. Once he and L were on the boat, they started off. Along the way, they saw a peculiar fish creature swim up to them. "Hello there," the fish said, "I'm a merman of the sea. Me and brothers spend our time making maps for others. Hmm..." He looked at the sea chart Link had found on the boat. "That chart looks like it has nothing but seas on it," the merman said, "Let me help you with that." Link looked and sure enough, only the spots for Outset Island, Windfall Island, and the Forsaken Fortress were filled in. The merman leapt up and drew in the spot for Dragon Roost Island. Leaping back into the water, the merman said, "If you want any more islands filled in, just find one of my brothers in that area and feed them some bait. Alright Mr. Kingly Red Lion guy, that's my end of the deal finished." And with that, the merman dove underwater.

"I wonder what he meant by a deal," L said. "Don't know," Link said as he looked over the sea chart, "But I passed another island on the way here, and I want to make sure I have it marked." Before they set off, they used one of their treasure charts to find a cache of rupees. Heading back towards Windfall Island, they had Pawprint Island marked on the sea chart. On Windfall, L headed straight for the milk bar. "There's something I have to see for myself," L said to Link, "We'll meet back at the King of Red Lion in a half-hour." "Okay," Link said. L walked into the milk bar and sat down. "Hello there," said the cheery waitress, her back turned to L, "What'll it be?" L's eyes widened. _'I know that voice, and very well.' _Smirking, he said, "A coffee with extra sugar please." The waitress, who was in fact Misa, turned around wondering what kid would order a coffee. When she saw L, she gasped.

"No way!," Misa said, "Is that you Ryuzaki? Wow, you're a little kid now! How cute, it's like you're a chibi-Ryuzaki!" _'Same old Misa,'_ L thought with a sheepish grin. Misa got L's orders ready. "So Ryuzaki," Misa said as she set the cup down, "Have you run across Light lately? The last time I saw him, we were on a ship together, but a storm caused us to capsize and we wound up getting separated." L grew silent. He knew exactly where Light was. But could he really tell Misa that he was again acting as Kira, and this time with someone truly evil? Come to think about it, why would Light even work with such an evil man as Ganondorf? He decided he couldn't tell Misa what Light was up to, but felt he should at least let her know he was alive. "I saw him once while I was traveling," he said, "But I'm not sure what island. If I find him again, I'll let him know where you are."

Misa grew excited and nodded. "Thanks Ryuzaki! You're not so bad after all." "I was unaware I was bad to begin with," L said as he scratched his temple. He finished his coffee, and then headed back to the King of Red Lions. Link was on the boat reading a few letters for him. "Looks like we're getting popular," Link said, "I had one from the Rito chieftain, one from Hoskit's girlfriend, and one from Baito's mother. All of them had Pieces of Heart in them. Oh yeah, and take a look at this." He took out the Wind Waker and conducted a new melody. Almost instantly time seemed to move forward at an incredible pace, turning day into night. Link repeated the action and brought the day back out. "It's the Song of Passing," Link explained, "I found this guy on the island who taught it to me. We may find a use for this."

* * *

After heading back to Dragon Roost Island, Link once again turned the wind to the south. Along the way they marked the islands Fire Mountain, Eastern Triangle Island, and Bomb Island. At Eastern Triangle Island they found another spot for one of their treasure charts, which had another rupee cache. At Bomb Island they found a suspicious looking submarine. "Wouldn't it be interesting if some of Ganondorf's minions were inside?," L said. Link nodded. "And it would be even more interesting if they happened to have something we need in there." Inside, the two friends fought a trio of Bokoblin pirates. Once they were down, a chest with a bottle inside appeared. Satisfied, L and Link continued onward until they reached the Forest Haven, their next destination.

* * *

That night, Misa walked out to the street and onto the bridge. She could still remember that day... _Light __and Misa were dancing together on the ship bound for Windfall Island. She didn't know what miracle let them be reborn in the same world, nor did she care. But she and Light were finally to be married. However, as they approached the island, a terrible storm struck. Without warning, the ship was torn in two by a massive cyclone. Misa clung to one side of the ship as Light tried to reach her from the other side. Suddenly, the great gales blew her into the sea. She could see the tears flow from Light's eyes as he called out, "Misa! I'll find you somehow! I promise!"_

_'I've been waiting since that day,'_ Misa thought to herself. By some miracle she has washed ashore on Windfall Island, as well as the half of the ship she had clung to. There were rumors that the other half had made its way to the Forsaken Fortress. Misa looked at the moon. She couldn't remember much about her old life. It was as if something was blocking a good portion of her memories. But she remembered her time with Light, and she remembered killing herself after learning of his death. She had been found as a baby on Dragon Roost Island, and had lived there until she got the shock of her life. Light, now working for a group of sailing merchants, had come ashore by sheer chance. She didn't know why Light cried so much as he embraced her for the first time in years, but when he said he had missed her and loved her so much, she no longer cared.

Now he had vanished from her again, but hearing L say Light was still alive gave her hope. Casting her gaze skyward, she began to sing:

___In this world you tried_

___Not leaving me alone behind_

___There's no other way_

___I'll pray to the gods: let him stay_

_The memories ease the pain inside_

_Now I know why_

_All of my memories_

_Keep you near_

_In silent moments_

_Imagine you'd be here_

_All of my memories_

_Keep you near_

_The silent whispers, silent tears_

_Made me promise I'd try_

_To find my way back in this life_

_I hope there is away_

_To give me a sign you're okay_

_Reminds me again_

_It's worth it all_

_So I can go home_

_All of my memories_

_Keep you near_

_In silent moments_

___Imagine you'd be here_

___All of my memories_

___Keep you near_

___The silent whispers, silent tears_

_Together in all these memories_

_I see your smile_

_All the memories I hold dear_

_Darling you know I love you till the end of time_

_All of my memories_

_Keep you near_

_In silent moments_

_Imagine you'd be here_

_All of my memories_

_Keep you near_

_The silent whispers, silent tears_

A tear slid down Misa's cheek as she finished. "Light, I pray you will return to me..."

Next chapter: Trees and Troubles

**I would again like to remind you folks that this story has nothing to do with my last two stories. That said, read and review.**


	5. Chapter 5: Trees and Troubles

**You know what, on second thought, screw my normal pattern. I'm just gonna post when I feel like it, which is quite often. Disclaimer: I don't own Death Note or Legend of Zelda.**

Chapter 5: Trees and Troubles

Light heard the song on the wind and felt a tear come to his eye. He wasn't surprised he could still feel emotion. Ganondorf had once told him that it was a lack of emotion that was true weakness. What had surprised him was that the voice he heard was that of Misa. _'Misa... Is this just my thoughts? Or are you still out there somewhere? Please be patient, for soon enough I will bring you to me. And whatever happens, I pray you understand my reasons for what I do now.'_ Misa's memories of a certain notebook had been lost at the time she died in their old world, so she remembered nothing of it now. But Light remembered, and even now he hoped he could put it behind him. When Ganondorf first recruited Light, he had offered him the same powers he had from the notebook, but Light refused.

It was a power he reserved only for killing criminals, and there were so few of those in this world it seemed almost unnecessary. "It seems our young friends are approaching the Forest Haven," came Ganondorf's voice. "Then they're already too late to stop our invasion," Light said, "I just hope Higuchi doesn't screw up. We need to obtain the second pearl as soon as possible." Ganondorf nodded. As he watched Light walk off, he wondered to himself, _'That song I heard just now... It seemed to carry across the whole of the Great Sea. I wonder who could have been singing, that it would stir sadness within Light.'_

* * *

As the King of Red Lions pulled up to the Forest Haven carrying Link and L, L turned to the direction of Windfall Island. "Did any of you hear that song just now?" "Sure did," Link said, "I wonder who was singing." "Whoever it was, the wind must have wanted the song to be heard by all," the King of Red Lions said, "But right now, we have business here. Here in the Forest Haven you will find the Great Deku Tree, the spirit of earth. But take care, for I fear Ganondorf's minions may have already come here, no doubt led by another from Kira's world." "Well if they're anywhere," L said, "I'd wager they'd be hiding there." He pointed to a giant rotting tree next to the island. "That is the Forbidden Woods," the talking boat said, "No one has been in there for a long time. A logical choice for Ganondorf's forces to hide."

After climbing a few platforms, Link stopped in front a suspicious plant bud. After he took a few cautious steps forward, a giant monster reminiscent of a venus-flytrap sprang out. L looked at the creature. "And that would be a Boko Baba." He pulled out the scimitar Watari had given him. _'I really don't like using weapons,' _he thought, _'But Link's got to have some backup.'_ He drew the Baba's attention while Link swung his sword at the Baba's jaw-line. The two of kept volleying the creature until it became stunned, after which Link chopped off its stem. Several more Boko Babas littered the hill upward, but too difficult to handle. "I highly doubt we've met any of Ganondorf's minions on this island yet," L said, "Likely just local creatures. But it's hard to tell for sure."

They soon came to a cliff overlooking a waterfall. Seeing a post sticking out between the cliff and a small island, Link got out his Grappling Hook. "Nice of the Rito to give you your own Grappling Hook, huh Ryuzaki?," Link said to L. "Yeah," L said sarcastically as he pulled out his own hook, "Lucky me..." After swinging across, L saw a ripple in the nearby pond. From it's depths, a squid-like creature called an Octorok appeared and fired a shot from its mouth. Link quickly jumped in front of L and pulled out his shield. The rock bounced off the shield and struck the Octorok, killing it instantly. "River Octoroks tend to be very fragile for their size," L commented. Jumping from the island to the other shore, the two boys quickly dove aside as another Boko Baba sprang up and surprised them. After dealing with it, they continued climbing up until they reached a platform on the top of a smaller waterfall.

After Link dealt with another River Octorok, he had L swung across to a large, cave-like entrance. "That's probably the entrance to the Forest Haven," L said, "Let's hurry inside and grab that pearl." Inside they soon saw the Great Deku Tree, a rather large tree with a human-like face. It seemed to be moaning, and it soon became apparent why. Dozens of Red Chuchus were stuck to the tree's face. Thinking quickly, Link rolled into the tree in an attempt to knock them down. "Well, that worked," L said once the Chuchus dropped, "But now we're surrounded." The two boys readied their swords and sliced through the Chuchus one at a time. "That did it," Link said. L tapped Link and pointed the Great Deku Tree's face. More Chuchus, green ones, had popped up and fallen off.

The Green Chuchus were a little tougher, but didn't prove to be any greater challenge than their red cousins. Finishing off the second wave, Link was a little tuckered out and his sword was covered in Chu Jelly. He carefully slid the gelatinous substance into his spoils bag, causing it to form into several tear-shaped blobs. Now freed, the Great Deku Tree began speaking in the same language as Valoo. "Sorry," L said, "But we have no translators for that language." "My apologies," the tree said, "I saw the boy's clothes and thought he was the legendary Hero of Time. Though perhaps I am not too far off. I sense the same blood in your veins." "I'm gonna have to read up on this Hero of Time at some point," Link said, "He seems to be someone important."

"Indeed," the Great Deku Tree said, "No doubt you were brought here by the King of Red Lions. I assume you search for Farore's Pearl, yes?" "Yes," Link said, "And we need to get it before Ganondorf's forces do." "I'll be happy to give it to you," the tree said, "But first there is something important that must be done. Come out, little children of the forest. These two young ones mean you no harm." From behind the leaves of the Great Deku Tree came several wooden creatures with leaves for faces. They soon came flying down on propeller-like leaves in a circle and began to dance around Link and L. "These are the Koroks," the Great Deku Tree explained, "The children of the forest. They once took on a form similar to humans, but when the Great Sea rose they became these little creatures."

"What are they all dancing for?," L asked. The Great Deku Tree chuckled. "As it happens, your arrival here coincides with a very important ceremony of ours, one that will insure the continued growth of the trees across the islands. It is a very short ceremony, and I will give you the pearl when it is complete." Just then, one of the Koroks, named Linder, came flying down screaming, "Great Deku Tree! We have a problem! It's Makar! He's flown into the Forbidden Woods!" The Great Deku Tree frowned. "Not good. Makar is very important to the ceremony, and the Forbidden Woods have been very dangerous of late. Some of the Koroks have even seen a man with a mop of brown hair and a drawn out face among the creatures who arrived there." L put his thumb to his lips. "Higuchi perhaps...?"

"We'll help find Makar," Link said, "If he's so important to the ceremony, then we can't let anything happen to him." "Uh, Link," L said, "I don't recall seeing any easy way of getting to the Forbidden Woods from this island." "Not to worry," the Great Deku Tree said, "I will give you each a Deku Leaf that you can use to reach the Forbidden Woods with ease. They won't fly as well of the ones the Koroks use, since you are so heavy, but they have enough glide in them to do the job nicely." He made the leaves appear at the top of his branches. "How do we get up there?," Link wondered. L looked around and saw some of the Baba Buds they had seen sprout those vicious Deku Babas. This one looked like it was a different color.

Trying it out, L soon found himself skyrocketed to a higher leaf. "Are you okay Ryuzaki?," Link called up. "Just fine," L said, "And really glad I have no fear of heights." Link quickly followed suit and the two of them kept moving higher and higher until they reached the Deku Leaves. L tried swinging his to test its strength and wound up creating a gust of wind. "Well, it seems there is a ninety-eight percent chance we can use these to reach the Forbidden Woods with no problems." "You keep relying on percentages and sooner or later those odds will work against you," Link said. They nonetheless used the Deku Leaves to reach a small platform leading outside.

Just outside the Forest Haven, they saw the Forbidden Woods looming before them. "It looks even more ominous up close," Link said, "I hope Makar is alright in there." "Only one to find out," L said. He looked over the platform to the water below. "Thought it is a long way down." He looked to where Link stood to see he had already glided over to the next platform. L sighed and followed suit. "Sheesh," L said after landing on a nearby spire column, "You're like a man on a mission." Link looked at him. "My sister is counting on me. What would you do?" Making their way through whirlwinds and dodging Peahats, the two soon found themselves in front of the Forbidden Woods. "If we weren't trying to save Aryll in all this," L said, "I'd still be on Outset Island right now." "Gee Ryuzaki," Link teased, "I didn't know you had a crush on my sister." He grinned, and L groaned as he blushed. "Shut up, Link..."

A little ways into the woods they found a strange flower surrounded by vines that blocked their way. Before they could approach it however, they were ambushed by several Green Chuchus. These were quickly dispatched, and then Link went to examine the flower. He tried to get close to slice it away, but the flower closed up as soon as he got close. "I doubt my sword can cut through this," Link said. "Maybe this will help," L said as he picked up a nearby Deku Nut, "Try standing back so it will open again." The nut started to decay as soon as it was picked, so L quickly threw it at the open flower, crushing it into dust. "That did the trick," L said as he dusted off his hands, "Let's keep an eye out for more puzzles like that." The room spanned vertically through several floors. "Let's try the basement first and work our way up," Link said. The two of the dropped down using their Deku Leaves like parachutes.

At the bottom were several Green Chuchus and Boko Babas. To make things easier, the duo took one half of the room and fought the enemies on that side. "These caverns and such are almost like dungeon gauntlets," Link commented as he parried a Chuchu's attack and sliced into goo. "Well Ganondorf wouldn't be known as the King of Evil if took it easy on his enemies I'd imagine," L said as he sliced a Boko Baba's stem off. Once they had defeated all their enemies, the examined the hollow tree inside the room. "More vines," L said, "But no Deku Nuts." Link looked around and saw several torches and Deku Sticks left behind by the Boko Babas. "Then let's improvise." He took one of the Deku Sticks and lit it on a torch. From a reasonable distance, he threw the lit stick at the flower, causing it to incinerate. Inside the tree was a treasure chest with a decorated belt inside.

"That looks like a Knight's Crest," L said, "It's rare to see them unattached to the Darknuts that tend to drop them." He looked around for a way back up. He saw several Boko Buds around the room, but saw they were two far away from the upper ledges. "Maybe if we use the Deku Leaves..." He tried and found he was able to get across easily. He and Link made their way up higher until they found another door blocked by vines. "Yet again no Deku Nut," Link said, "But that Bomb Flower over their should make a perfect substitute." Slicing the few Chuchus that blocked the Bomb Flower, Link was able to destroy the vine flower easily. In the next, they found a shallow pit and a cable car parked on the other side. "Doesn't look like we can reach that from here," Link said. L looked around and saw a device made of a swivel and four cups. "That looks like barometer, a type of instrument used to measure wind pressure."

"Wind pressure, huh?," Link said, interested, "Considering it's in a spot with very little wind, I'd say it's important." Taking out his Deku Leaf, he swung towards the barometer, causing it to spin wildly. This turned a hidden mechanism drawing the cable car toward them. Getting on, L used his own Deku Leaf to push them toward the door on the opposite side of the room. The next room stretched up a little ways to the upper floors. Right in front of them, however, were a couple Boko Babas and some Peahats. "Link," L said, "The best to deal with Peahats on the ground is to use a strong gust of wind. It will disable the propellers on their heads and leave them very vulnerable to attack." "Gotcha," Link said as he pulled out his Deku Leaf and swung it. The Peahat was knocked to the ground, but the blast also stunned the Boko Baba behind it. Seeing this, L quickly cut the Baba's stem to destroy it.

To L's surprise, the Baba Bud left behind turned to a different color. Trying it out, L found it worked like the Baba Buds that shot them into the air. "Looks we have our way up," he called down to Link. Link nodded and followed L until they reached another door blocked by vines. "There's the Deku Nut," Link said after looking around, "But it looks the only way to get it in range is by using that cable car." L put his thumb to his mouth. "A good bit of tandem work should solve this problem easily." He hopped on the cable car and used his Deku Leaf to ride it over to the Deku Nut. Grabbing it, L quickly blew the cable car back over near Link and threw the Deku Nut to him, who in turn threw it at the exposed flower, clearing the vines. "Honestly Ryuzaki, I don't what I do without you," Link said. L thought about it. "Well, there's a ninety percent chance you might be to do this on your own. Though it might be slightly more difficult."

The next room was a multi-colored tunnel of wood with the only other door blocked off by more vines. "There's another Deku Nut nearby," L said, "But why do I get the feeling it's too easy?" He cautiously approached the Deku Nut and sure enough, a barrier of spikes popped up around the nut. "They're starting to step up their game," Link said, "Let me try something, better back away Ryuzaki." Link walked around the nut so it was between him and the door. He then pulled his Deku Leaf and swung it. The nut got knocked toward L without tripped the spikes. L then tossed the nut at the flower blocking the door. On the other side, they found themselves inside a giant room with a massive flower held up by five blue vines. "That looks important," Link said, "We need to find a way to cut those vines downs and get a better look at that flower." L nodded.

Swinging onto a nearby ledge, they saw two moving vines with thick leaves on them. "This looks like a simple case of timing," L said, "The vines are moving in a predictable pattern, so we need only wait until the nearest platform is within jumping distance." It didn't take the two of them long to reach a ledge near a locked door. "Us with no keys," Link said, "But I do see a Deku Nut here so maybe..." He walked around the ledge. "Bingo. There's a door blocked with vines over there." He grabbed the Deku Nut and hopped over a couple of ledges to the door in question, using the Deku Nut to destroy the flower protecting the vines. Inside the next room was a shallow pit filled orange eyes. "Whoa...," Link said cautiously. L looked through his bestiary. "Not to worry. Those are merely Morths. Completely harmless despite their spiky appearance, they serve only to slow people down."

Reaching the next room was easy, since the Morths made no move to stop the boys. The next was wide open with no enemies, something that bothered L. "Careful Link, this room may hold some nasty surprises." Carefully moving through the room to a nearby Bomb Flower, it soon became apparent that L's worry was well-founded. The room hid a massive thorn maze, the thorns only popping up when someone got too close to the them. Reaching the Bomb Flower, Link tossed it to some nearby boards, clearing them away. He and L then made their way to the chest behind them, which contained a much needed key. Seeing a nearby Baba Bud, L said, "That should be useful as a shortcut out of here." Key in hand, they hurried back to the room with the giant flower.

Unlocking the door from before, the two boys found themselves in a room with a cable car and several Peahats. Seeing the seemingly bottomless chasm below them, Link said, "Maybe we can knock the Peahats down there as we go." L nodded, and they soon made their way to the next room. Inside on the bottom floor, they had to fight a Wingless Mothula and some Boko Babas. Link put up his shield as the Mothula sprayed out several Morths from its tail. "That's a little disturbing," he said. "That's really typical insect behavior," L said as he dodged a Baba's jaws before slicing away its stem. Soon the way was clear to move up, the two boys only needing to worry about passing Peahats. Finally at the top floor, they found a door that led them to a seemingly empty room. "This room has to be here for a reason," Link said.

Suddenly they heard a strange screech. L quickly flipped through his bestiary. "I think that may be a Mothula. We should be careful, they're known to drop Morths as they fly around." "And one is right behind us...," Link said flatly. L turned around, and sure enough the big bug was just above the door they had come in. The Mothula swooped in an attempt to ram the boys. As L dodge the attack, he brought out his Deku Leaf and waved it to create a massive wind gust. The wind caused the the giant moth to be stunned mid-flight, allowing Link to start slicing off its wings. The Mothula quickly turned its back to Link and started spewing Morths out of its tail.

Link quickly performed his spin attack to repel they spiky little creatures. "That was a little gross," he said, "Wouldn't you agree Ryuzaki?" He looked to L and nearly doubled over in laughter. L had gotten a literal face-full of Morths, forming a smiley face. "Don't even laugh," L said as he brushed the Morths of his face, "Just kill that thing and let's move on." Link rushed after the fleeing Mothula and sliced it to ribbons. "Look on the bright side," Link said as approached a now open gate with a treasure chest behind it, "At least those weren't eggs it laid." L just shuddered. "Let's not speak of that again. EVER!" Link chuckled as he opened the chest. "Hey check it out. I think this is a Boomerang."

Link took out the yellow boomerang and aimed it at the two crystals hanging above the door. In one shot, he managed to nail both of them, opening the door. "Nice aim," L commented. "I wonder how many objects one could target at once." "Let's find out," Link said as he observed the Peahats. Shifting his gaze between them, he threw the Boomerang in such a way that it struck five Peahats. "Nice," Link said, "Round two." The Boomerang proved very effective against the Peahats, killing them in just two hits with incredible speed. As Link was having his fun, L observed a nearby branch that looked like it could be grappled. Carefully negotiating a series of branches, he soon found a treasure chest with a Joy Pendant inside. "Hey Ryuzaki," Link called out to him, "The Peahats are all gone. I think it's safe to take the express elevator down."

On the way down, the two boys saw another door with vines covering it, this time with two flowers. "No Deku Nuts," Link said, "But I think I may have an idea." He aimed his Boomerang at the two flowers and threw it. It struck both flowers destroying them on contact. "Nice," Link said, "I have a feeling we'll be getting a lot of mileage out of this beauty." The two boys found themselves above the cable car they had used earlier. "Only way across is to glide," L observed, "And the ledge on the opposite side is low enough for that purpose. However..." Between them and the opposite ledge were several hanging pinecones. "Time to test that Boomerangs long-range capabilities I think," he said to Link. Link nodded and took aim. Taking out the pinecones five at a time, the way was soon clear to move forward.

After gliding to the other side of the room, Link found another chest with a Joy Pendant inside. "You ever if maybe one of these chests is going to be a trap?," Link said, "I mean, who just leaves treasure lying around." "Someone who thinks no one is going to find it," L remarked, "Besides, it's not like all the chests we've encountered so far are easy to get to." The next door brought the boys back in the main room, well in view of the blue vines that held up the giant flower. Just below it, they saw a massive net of vines stretched across a hole leading to the basement. "I'd say there's a eighty-five percent chance that flower is heavy enough to break through those vines," L said, "With momentum of course." Link nodded and used his new boomerang to cut the giant flower down and bring crashing into the basement. The two boys jumped down after.

After the soft landing, L took a look around. Nearby was a small turbine in the ground with a switch next to it, and a Baba Bud further up. "Looks like we can make our way back up if necessary." Going through the next room, Link saw more Morths on the nearby ledges. "Creepy things," L said, "Just blow them off with the Deku Leaf." "Uh," Link said, "Before that..." He quickly aimed his Boomerang at a nearby Peahat. After shooting it down and killing it, he got an idea. Aiming carefully, Link was able to use the Boomerang to knock the Morths of the ledges. L nodded. "That works too." There were a few enemies on the opposite ledge, but the two boys ignored them due to the limited fighting space. The next room had a smaller flower held up by more vines. Cutting it down, Link soon spotted another River Octorok. Quickly pulling out his shield as the big squid fired a projectile, he was able to deflect the attack and take out the Octorok with its own projectile.

"These things seem to pop up anywhere," L said, "Could all of them really be minions of Ganondorf?" Link just shrugged. L looked around and saw a Bomb Flower just behind where the Octorok was. Looking behind him, he saw several wooden boards. Going over to grab the bomb, he quickly came back and threw it at the boarded-up opening. Inside the next room were a few Peahats. Link was able to take some out with his Boomerang, but L was stuck using his Deku Leaf. "I wish there had been another Boomerang in that chest," he moaned. Once they had taken out all the Peahats, Link went to investigate the lower ledges. Using the Tingle Tuner, he was able to find another strange statue. After finding it, the boys climbed further up into the room, taking out a few enemies that blocked their path. One of the Boko Babas turned into a Baba Bud, letting them go a little further.

Soon enough, they came to a cable car. Riding it across, Link spotted a Bomb Flower. Spotting a hollow tree below them, Link got an idea. "Let's if there's anything in that tree worth bombing." He picked the Bomb Flower and chucked it down the top of the tree. From the sound that came afterward, it was clear it had destroyed something. Link and L jumped down to the tree to investigate, and saw a treasure chest still intact. "I didn't see any boards flying off," L said, "So it was probably covered in more vines." He opened to chest to find another treasure chart. "We keep finding these all over. I'm starting to wonder who sank these treasures." Link just shrugged, and the two of them headed back to the previous room.

Getting on the large flower, which was floating in the shallow river, L took out his Deku Leaf and used it to steer the flower down the river. They ran into a few Octoroks, which was able to deal with using his shield. "Most of these monsters must not have much for brains," Link said, "Otherwise they'd learn to use different tactics." Once they got to the next room, they saw a familiar ornate chest behind a wooden gate. Spotting several yellow switches, Link hopped an stump in the middle of them and used his Boomerang to his them all. Once the gate lowered, L ran to the chest and opened it to find another large key. "We haven't found the door to the main monster of this place yet," he said to Link, "So I'm assuming it's in a room we've yet to explore."

As L walked out of the alcove with the chest, a pair of Kargarocs flew overhead and dropped a pair of Moblins into the room. "I was wondering when they'd show up," L said as he drew his scimitar. Link pulled out his sword and threw his Boomerang to stun the two Moblins. L kicked one of the Moblins back to separate them as Link shield-rammed the other. Shaking its head, the Moblin swung its spear at Link, who simply guarded with his shield before swiping at the Moblin with his sword. The other Moblin was growing frustrated as L dodged around its spear attacks, striking multiple cuts as he did. Finally the Moblin made a blind charge, but L jumped out of the way. "Link, heads up." Link saw the oncoming charge in time to move aside. As he did, the other Moblin was bringing its spear forward. The two Moblins wound up impaling each other. L shook his head. "No brains whatsoever."

He saw the door higher up open. Looking around, L saw there a branch they could grapple onto. The two boys made their way back to the main room, where they used the devices L had seen earlier to get out of the basement. Not too far from them they saw another door covered in vines. "Yet again, no Deku Nut," L said, "Though we don't really need them anymore, do we?" He smiled at Link. Link nodded and pulled out his Boomerang, using it to destroy the two flowers connected to the vines. The long hallway contained two Wingless Mothulas, but they were easy to deal with using Link's Boomerang. After the insects were destroyed, a treasure chest with a Joy Pendant appeared. The room after it contained the giant door leading the bosses lair. Link also observed a smoking pot nearby. "I keep seeing these throughout the dungeons we've been in," he said, "I wonder what they do."

He hopped inside. A few minutes later, he hopped back clutching a treasure chart. "Turns out these are warp jars," Link said, "They connect to each other." "Interesting," L said, "Now let's find out who we're dealing with behind that door." The room on the other side of the door was gigantic. Dancing on a flower in the middle of the room was a tiny little Korok. "That must be Makar," Link said as he and L dashed forward. Before they could reach Makar though, a Deku Baba popped out of the flower and swallowed Makar whole. As the flower closed up to protect the Baba head, L heard a familiar cackle echo throughout the room. "And that would be Higuchi," L said. "You don't seem as worried this time," Link commented. "That's because Higuchi doesn't bring up as many painful memories of my previous life," L explained. He then saw Higuchi slide down on of the giant flower's vines.

"Huh," he said, seeming a little disappointed, "I was told to stop two heroes from coming here and saving that little Korok violinist, but Kira and Ganondorf never said anything about it being two kids." L smirked. "You may not know this," he said as he pointed to himself, "But this kid is the one who helped beat you in your previous life." Higuchi took a good look at L. "Oh, I get it. You're L aren't you? A little younger than I thought you'd be, but what do I know? Geniuses can be any age." "What kind of name is L anyway?," Link asked. "I'm a very simple guy and prefer not to have too much cluttering up my brain." "Hold on," Higuchi said, "You mean that L was your real name the whole time?" "You were expecting it to stand for something?," L said with a smirk, "Though most people in this world know me as Ryuzaki."

"Well, whatever," Higuchi said, "I think Kalle Demos here is still hungry. Those Koroks aren't exactly the biggest- WHOA!" Before Higuchi could finish, Link had already used his boomerang to cut down some of Kalle Demos' vines. "Sorry," Link said, "I'm not much for pre-game banter. By the way, why are you helping Ganondorf anyway?" Higuchi smirked. "He's promised Kira that once he's taken over everything, he's gonna bring back his girlfriend Misa." L sighed. "And then you plan to stab Kira in the back and take Misa for yourself, blah, blah, blah... How generic. Link, cut this guy down so I kick the crud out of him." "Glad to," Link said as he aimed his boomerang. He jumped out of the way as Kalle Demos swung its vines around the room and launched the boomerang to cut down more vines. Soon enough, the petals of the flower fell open causing Higuchi to fall to the floor.

Looking up, he saw L cracking his knuckles. "Normally I'm opposed to violence," L said, "But you and your bosses pretty much ruined my peaceful island life, so..." He brought his leg up to strike Higuchi in the jaw. "An eye for an eye, my friend," L quipped as Higuchi went flying. Link meanwhile was busy hacking away at Kalle Demos' head. From the corner of his eye he saw Higuchi bring out a short sword. L just smirked and pulled out his scimitar. The two got into a quick sword fight as Link dropped down from the flower as it began to close up again. As he got out his Boomerangs to cut the vines down again, he rammed his shield into Higuchi's back, causing him to stumble and leaving him wide open for another attack from L.

Link managed to get the flower open again and was able to cut Kalle Demos' head from the center of the flower, causing it to explode into dust, releasing Makar as well as another Heart Container. As Higuchi's life was drained in the black cloud, L said to him, "Misa would never marry you anyway. She had been working for me the whole time." Link looked at Higuchi's corpse. "Guy was pretty pathetic. All this for some girl who probably never even loved him." "You got that right," L said, "She was devoted to Light from the day she met him." He turned to see Makar walking up to them. "You okay, Makar?" "I'm okay," Makar said, "But I never want to go through that again. I just hope the Great Deku Tree doesn't get mad at me for coming here." Link picked up the Heart Container and walked toward the warp back to the Forest Haven. "I wouldn't worry. He's more concerned for your safety than anything else."

* * *

Light couldn't help but smile as he felt Higuchi's life force power the Forsaken Fortress. "I'm pretty sure he would have betrayed us anyway. Or at least me." Ganondorf grinned. "He would never have gotten the chance. I could already tell what his plans were from the beginning. Do you know he was intending to kill you on the very night of your wedding?" "I guess I do now," Light said, "Poor fool never even realized that Misa had tricked him into revealing he was acting as Kira for a while. Just long enough for me to avoid L's suspicions. Well, so much for the two minions L knew of. He was already dead when I got involved with Takada and Mikami. Luckily for us, Mello never got a chance to warn L of them."

* * *

Back in his cell, Mello felt the surge of darkness. _'Ganondorf knows Link and L will be back. He's planning on it. And he's expecting them to be stronger.'_ Aryll came over to him. "That strange darkness, what does it mean?" "It means your brother and Ryuzaki are still out there," Mello said, "And they're fighting, and no doubt defeating, all of Ganondorf's minions. You can bet that soon enough they'll return, and this time they'll get us all out of here." Aryll smiled. In her heart she knew Mello wasn't lying. _'I hope you two are ready,'_ Mello thought, _'Ganondorf is no pushover, and he's put Light in charge of his best creature. That Helmaroc King is no joke.'_

* * *

Meanwhile, just outside the fortress, Tetra looked out to the window where all the seagulls were flocking. _'That must be where Link's sister is. But with the security restored, there's no way we'll get close.'_ She turned to her first-mate. "Gonzo, we're heading for Greatfish Island." Gonzo saluted. "Yes ma'am. But, uh, why are we heading there?" "There's important there we need to find," Tetra said, "And we need to find it soon, before whoever runs the fortress gets to it first. We've already heard of the situation on Dragon Roost Island and the Forest Haven. We need to get the treasure that can be found on Greatfish Island and the other two islands to stop them." She looked out over the sea as her ship got moving. _'Link, I hope you're okay...'_

Next chapter: Fish and Family

**I think L called it when he said Tetra liked Link, don't you? Read and review.**


	6. Chapter 6: Fish and Family

**Sorry it took so long to update, but what with limited views I haven't been very motivated. And then when I did finally decide to start, I found all my old copies had somehow been deleted. But now I'm back. I don't plan on starting something I can't finish, so here we go. Disclaimer: I don't own Death Note or Legend of Zelda.**

Chapter 6: Fish and Family

Having returned to the Forest Haven with Makar, Link and L stood before the Great Deku Tree. Makar looked very sad upon. "What troubles you Makar?," the giant tree said. Makar looked at him. "I'm very sorry Great Deku Tree. I know we're not supposed to enter the Forbidden Woods, but I got lost on my way back here." The Great Deku Tree smiled. "Fear not little one. I am just glad you have been returned to us safely. And to you two boys, I keep my promise." The Great Deku Tree shook his leaves and caused a green pearl to drop down. Link picked it up. "Now we have Farore's Pearl. Just one more to go." The Great Deku Tree spoke to Makar again. "Cheer up, Makar. You must be at your happiest to play for the forest ceremony."

Makar suddenly perked up. "That's right. In all the commotion I had nearly forgotten." Bringing out a violin made from a leaf, Makar began to play a beautiful melody. It was so cheery and upbeat L and Link found themselves enjoying the song. Suddenly, several of the other Koroks began singing to the music as several seeds sprouted from the Great Deku Tree. The Koroks each grabbed one seed and fly away from the Forest Haven as Makar finished his song. "Many thanks to you two," the Great Deku Tree said, "It is my hope that the trees brought forth from these seeds will slowly drain the Great Sea until the people may again return to the lands below." "Lands below?," L said in confusion, "What do you mean?" The Great Deku Tree smiled. "If you continue on this path, you will learn for yourselves."

On the way out, L used a bottle he had brought with him from Outset to grab a Forest Fairy. "These things are rare, and you never know who may need one." Back at the King of Red Lions, the talking boat greeted them. "You have managed to retrieve Farore's Pearl. But you were longer than I thought." "We had to rescue a very important Korok from the Forbidden Woods," Link said, and he explained the whole thing. "I feared as much," the King of Red Lions said, "Ganondorf's forces are getting stronger, and he is seeking out the sacred pearls. The last one is on Greatfish Island. We must hurry if we are to find it." "Let's not rush," L said, "So long as we have two of the pearls Ganondorf cannot use the last one. I'd like to take some time to fill out the entire sea chart first if possible."

Once this was done, Link and L arrived at Greatfish Island. Unfortunately, the entire island looked wrecked. "What could have happened here?," the King of Red Lions said in bewilderment. "Maybe it wasn't such a good idea to go off finishing the sea chart," Link said to L. "Maybe," L said, "Who were we supposed to meet here?" "The great sea spirit, Jabun," the King of Red Lions said, "But from the look of things he is no longer here." L suddenly perked his ears up to the sound of flapping wings. He looked around and pointed. "It's Quill." Sure enough, the Rito Postman alighted and a nearby piece of driftwood. "I'm glad to fins you here," he said, "I have important news."

"Does it concern Jabun?," Link asked. Quill nodded. "After Komali told his father he had given Din's Pearl to you, the chieftain figured you would search for the other pearls as well, and sent me to tell you about Ganondorf's attack on Greatfish Isle. I had first gone for the Forest Haven, but apparently I had just missed you." "Well," L said, "Even the best of postman can be a little off. But what of Jabun?" "Jabun thankfully anticipated the attack and fled before the island was assaulted," Quill said, "He headed straight for Outset Island." "He's back at our home?," Link said, "Funny, you'd think we'd have noticed a giant fish suddenly swimming out there."

"Jabun hid himself in a cave western end of the island," Quill explained, "But the cave is sealed off against to protect himself from Ganondorf's forces. Tetra and her pirates tried earlier to break through, but to no avail." "I wonder if they have any plans to try again," L said, "Do you know where they are?" Quill nodded. "I last saw them docked at Windfall Island. They may still be there." "Thanks Quill," Link said, "And say hi to Komali and Medli for us." "Take care," Quill said, "Valoo made mention that Ganondorf cast a terrible curse after learning of Jabun's escape." And with that, he flew off. "Alright Ryuzaki," Link said, "We need to head back to Windfall Island." L scanned across the sky. "And the sooner the better. It looks like a heavy storm has come in."

* * *

Misa shuddered as she looked across the dark, stormy sky. _'It's just like when me and Light became separated.'_ As she prepared to head back inside, she saw a bright red boat that contrasted against the black sea pull into the shore. Curious, she headed down to see who was sailing it. As she approached, she saw two familiar boys hop out. "Link. Ryuzaki. Good to see you two again." "Hey Misa," Link said, "Do you know where the people who own that ship are?" He pointed to the huge sailing vessel docked nearby. "I think they entered Cannon's Bomb Shop," Misa said, "Though I hope their pockets are lined with rupees, cause Cannon always charges an arm and leg for his bombs. Oh yeah, I forgot to mention. Quill stopped by earlier and spoke with them, asking if they'd seen you two."

L scratched his head. "How do you know Quill? He can't be the only Rito postman out there." Misa laughed. "After I was reborn in this world, I was raised on Dragon Roost Island until Light found me." "That makes sense," Link said, "Ryuzaki, you listen at the door of the Bomb Shop and see if you can pick anything up. Meanwhile I'll go around back and see if there's a way into the storeroom." L nodded. As Link rushed off, L turned to Misa. "Just to ask, does the phrase 'Death Note' seem familiar?" Misa thought for a second. "I don't think so. But then again, for some reason a lot of my memories from my previous life seem to missing." _'That's strange,'_ L thought, _'I have no trouble remembering everything from my previous life. But then again, Misa is not the brightest individual.'_

* * *

Meanwhile inside the Bomb Shop, Tetra and her pirates had Cannon tied up for not selling them bombs at a more reasonable price. Two of them, first-mate Gonzo and the intellectual Mako, were nearby. "Looks like we made off with a good haul," Gonzo said, "That'll teach this bozo not to swindle pirates, or anyone else for that matter." Mako adjusted his glasses. "It was also clever of you to get that Rito postman to tell us about Link and Ryuzaki searching for the pearls. If you and Tetra ever had a kid, he'd be the best pirate ever." Gonzo scowled. "Shut up, Mako!" "Quiet both of you!," Tetra yelled, "And finish moving that cargo out. We need to hurry to Outset."

Gonzo slumped. "Come on Ms. Tetra. It's been forever since we've docked. The boys need some time to relax." "Are you crazy?," Tetra said, "Did you see how devastated Greatfish Isle was? The same thing could happen to Outset if we don't hurry." Mako adjusted his glasses again. "Sounds like you're more concerned about the island itself than the treasure." Tetra was speechless for a bit. She looked at the ceiling trying to explain herself but saw a very familiar green hat in alcove above the shop itself. Link, noticing that Tetra had seen him, quickly ducked out of sight. Tetra gave a little wink. "Well," she said to Gonzo and Mako, "I guess we could at least spend the night relaxing. Two rules though. No flirting with that waitress at the milk bar, and that goes for everyone. And we leave at first light, no excuses."

* * *

L saw Link come around from the back of the shop. "We may not have much time," Link said, "They're leaving at first light in the morning. Did they already move some of the inventory to the ship?" L nodded. "I managed to overhear them mention the password to get into the hold. I believe it was 'shark'" "Okay," Link said, "Have Misa keep the pirates as distracted as possible. Might be somewhat difficult, since Tetra said they weren't allowed to flirt with Misa." L smirked. "Not to worry. Misa has other talents besides attractiveness." He headed off for the bar as Link chuckled nervously. "I'd rather not speculate what he means by that."

Once inside the ship's hold, Link saw that it was relatively unguarded. Once in the lower parts, Link saw Niko, the lowest ranked pirate in Tetra's crew, near a treasure chest in the alcove at the other end of the hold. Niko must have seen Link, because he suddenly called out, "Squabbie! You're okay! What a relief." _'You're just glad that there's someone to take your place as the lowest rank,'_ Link thought, _'Though I haven't actually joined Tetra's crew.'_ "I guess you're here for the bombs we have," Niko said, "I suppose I could give some to you... If you pass the second part of the pirate's trial. Now you'll notice the platforms from before are missing."

"So I just have to use the ropes to get across right?," Link said, "Alright, let's get this over with." Link stepped on the switch like before and quickly swung from rope to rope to reach the platform Niko was on before the door closed. "Say that was pretty good," Niko said, "But... should I really give up those bombs..." He thought for a second. "Oh, why not? It's not like anyone's gonna find out." He opened the chest for Link so he could grab the bombs. As Link began to leave the hold, the Pirate's Charm suddenly went off. _"Hey there Link. I'm glad to see you're still alive,"_ came Tetra's voice. Link smiled. "Tetra? Is that you? It's good to hear your voice again."

"_Same here. Having said that, it's pretty cheeky of you to try and steal from a pirate. Though considering we left that idiot Niko in charge, perhaps 'steal' is a bit too strong a term. Anyway, if you plan on getting that pearl before us, you'd better get going. We'll be leaving at first light, and trust me, you didn't get all our bombs."_ As the Pirate's Charm stopped glowing, Link hurried out and back to the King of Red Lions. L was there waiting for him. "I got the bombs," Link said, "But we need to hurry if we're going to get back to Outset Island before the pirates set sail." L nodded. "Then let's hurry."

* * *

Back at the Windfall Island bar, Tetra kept her eye on the window waiting for the sun to rise. "Sun should have come up by now...," she muttered. "It has been pretty dark and rainy for the past few hours," Misa said as she walked over, "I hope Link and Ryuzaki will be okay out there." Tetra looked over to Misa. "You know them?" Misa nodded. "They've visited in the past. But until recently I didn't know they knew each other." She decided to leave out the fact that she and L had met in another life. "So are those kids friends of yours?" "Sort of," Tetra said, "I actually owe them. You see, Link's sister was kidnapped by that huge bird when it mistook her for me."

Misa gasped and put her hand to her mouth. "His sister... I had no idea. Poor girl. You know that giant bird actually flew by this island twice now? But then, why is Ryuzaki helping as well?" "From what I understand," Tetra explained, "Ryuzaki was living on Outset with Link and his sister for years, so he'd be pretty close to them. I mean, he didn't strike me as antisocial or anything." _'Well,'_ Misa thought, _'Not anymore.'_ She took another look out the window. "I remember a night much like this the day I lost my fiancee. But I know Light is still out there. Ryuzaki saw him." Tetra raised an eyebrow at the name "Light" since it was such an uncommon name. As Misa walked away to take someone else's order, Tetra couldn't help but wonder. _'Where could Ryuzaki have seen Light before meeting Misa?'_

* * *

"Back home," Link said, "But no better than when we left." "Well," L replied, "We can't exactly help it if the situation led us back here prematurely. But has anyone noticed that it's been far too long since the last time we saw the sun." The King of Red Lions looked around. "Indeed. I don't believe the day has broken since we arrived at Greatfish Island. This maybe due to Ganondorf's curse. However, this may prove beneficial to us. If Tetra and her pirate band do stay at Windfall Island until daybreak, then they likely won't leave for some time. You may have time to see your families again and let them know you are alright." "That's a good idea," Link said, "I'm really worried about Grandma." "Before that," L said, "There is something at the Fairy Forest I noticed but didn't bring up until now."

Returning to the Forest of Fairies, L pointed out a giant boulder that looked cracked. "At the time I thought it looked rather conspicuous, but as we had nothing to destroy it with I didn't mention it. Using our newly acquired bombs however..." He pulled one out and lit it with the special flint paper rings he had prepared back at Windfall Island. He placed the bomb at the base of the rock and stood back. After a few seconds, the bomb exploded, destroying the boulder instantly. In the boulder's place was a large cavern. Link took a look inside. "It's a fairy fountain. Grandma would be tell all sorts of stories of these places. The Great Fairies who live here were said to bestow special gifts on legendary heroes." Sure enough, from the center of the fountain emerged a Great Fairy. With a wave of her hand, she instantly increased the size of Link and L's wallets.

On the way out, Link found a way to help Tingle reconcile with a friend of his named Knuckle. "Still no sign of dawn," L said afterward, "Let's head for Grandma's." Inside, the poor woman was sulking in her chair. "Link... Aryll... I'm sorry I couldn't be there for you..." L nudged Link in the shoulder. Link remembered the fairy he had bottled from the Dragon Roost Cavern. As soon as it was uncorked, it worked it's magic, healing everyone nearby. Feeling refreshed, Grandma raised her head. "Oh, Link. Ryuzaki. You're back. But... Where's Aryll?" "Still working on that," L said, "But both of us have come a long way since we set out." Grandma suddenly looked very sad. "I'm sorry. I'm the one whose supposed to be protecting you, yet here you are growing up before my very eyes."

Link smiled. "It's okay Grandma, everyone has to grow up sooner or later." Grandma smiled back. "I know dear. And I tell you what. Since it's clear you have to leave again soon to find Aryll, I'll give you something that can help on the way." She took Link's now-empty bottle and filled it up with some of the piping-hot soup from the stove. "Wow!," Link said, "My favorite Elixir Soup! And there's enough for two helpings." Grandma then walked over to the pantry. "Naturally I haven't forgotten about you, Ryuzaki." She brought out a bright yellow cake and wrapped it up for easy carrying. "Oh," L said, his thumb against his mouth, "An Elixir Cake. Thank you." Grandma handed the cake to L. "You boys take care, and be sure to se Aryll home safely." Link hugged his grandmother. "Good-bye for now, Grandma. I promise I'll save Aryll."

Link and L returned to the King of Red Lions. "Still now sign of first light," the talking boat said, "Or the pirates. Quill said Jabun was holed up on the western side of the island. Let's make our way there." After making there way along the cliffside, they came across a giant green stone covering. "That must be it," Link said, "Get the bombs ready." L opened the hold where the bombs were and was surprised to find a cannon pop up. "First we get a salvage crane from our Grappling Hooks, now this. Still, it'll make destroying the seal easier." He began aiming the cannon. "We should start at the top and work our way down." Volley after volley was fired, soon causing the stone seal to crumble. "That did it," Link said, "Now we can see Jabun."

Inside the cave, the giant whale-like Jabun appeared before them. Like Valoo, it only spoke in the ancient dialect. "Greetings Jabun," the King of Red Lions said, "And yes, I'm afraid Ganondorf has indeed returned." "Lucky for us the King of Red Lions can speak Jabun's language," Link said. Jabun spoke some more. "No," the King said, "This boy is not the Hero of Time. But he shares the same blood, and there is much promise in his courage." Jabun spoke some more, then dropped a blue orb from the lantern on its forehead. "Nayru's Pearl," Link said, "Now we have all three pearls." The King of Red Lions nodded. "Jabun has confirmed that the darkness was indeed the cause of Ganondorf's curse, but now that curse has been broken. We can now use the three pearls to reveal the Tower of the Gods." And with that, the boys sailed out.

* * *

From his lookout, Ganondorf frowned as he saw the morning sun finally rise into the sky. "My curse has been broken. This can only mean one thing. Someone has found Jabun and gotten the last of the pearls from him." "If it is Link and L," Light said, "Then they have all three pearls. Are you worried they will find the legendary sword?" "Somewhat," Ganondorf said, "The sword is still potent even after all this time. But I have made sure it cannot be used against me ever again." He fingered an old wound in his chest. "The last time that sword was used against me, I felt my very life drain away. It wasn't until centuries later that I was able to return, and during a point when there was no Hero to stand against me. But I always knew that a descendant of the Hero of Time would return. I saw it that day. That boy clad in green. But this time I am ready." He grinned wickedly.

* * *

Sometime later, after dawn had broken, Tetra's ship finally arrived at Outset Island. _'That was too long a night,'_ she thought, _'I'm really worried.'_ "Ms. Tetra," came Gonzo's voice, "You gotta come see this." Tetra came down from the crow's nest. What she saw when she got down surprised her. Instead of the giant rock blocking their path earlier, there was a large cave in the side of the island. Tetra couldn't help but smile. "Seems Link and Ryuzaki took advantage of our extended break time to swipe the treasure out from under us. This means they now have all three pearls." She closed her eyes and looked up. _'I hope those two know what they're getting into. They say the Tower of the Gods is designed to keep out all intruders.'_

Next Chapter: Seas and Sailing

**Finally got another chapter done. Hope this keeps up. Read and review.**


	7. Chapter 7: Seas and Sailing

**Disclaimer: I don't Death Note or Legend of Zelda.**

Chapter 7: Seas and Sailing

Link and L returned to Windfall Island to see Tetra's ship had already left. "I'd wager Tetra's gonna get a pretty big surprised when she arrives at Outset," Link said, "Pretty ironic that Ganondorf's curse actually helped us." L nodded. "So long as we're here, I saw a pictograph shop the last time we were here. And I just happened to notice you have a Picto Box, though where you got it I won't ask." Link sheepishly rubbed the back of his head, remembering this was the same Picto Box that had been stolen by Tingle. Inside the pictograph shop was a middle-aged man named Lenzo. "Hello there," he said when he saw the two boys, "I see you have a Picto Box there." He took the Picto Box from Link and examined it. "Though it could do with some improvement."

He gave Link back the Picto Box. "How exactly do you improve a Picto Box?," Link said. Lenzo smiled. "I tell you what. Do four simple tasks for me and I'll help you improve your Picto Box." He sat down behind the counter of his shop. "First, take a pictograph of a middle-aged man who regularly mails a letter in the mailbox. I believe this may be a love letter, but proof is needed. Be careful, he will not do it if he sees you near the mailbox." "I saw that mailbox near the shore where we docked," L said, "There should be a few places to hide nearby." The boys walked over to the mailbox and stood at a distance near the benches a way from the mailbox. Soon enough a middle-aged man approached the mailbox. After nervously looking around, he started placing a letter inside. Link quickly snapped the man's pictograph. "Perfect," he said, "This should be good enough for Lenzo."

Lenzo nodded at Link's pictograph. "Excellent. Now then, the next pictograph I want you to take involves Gossack, a regular at the milk bar. He acts all tough, no doubt to try and impress the young waitress, but I have heard rumors that loud noises make him really nervous. I would like you to take a pictograph of this so I may see for myself." Inside the bar, L saw the man in question. "Link, try breaking one of those pots and see if that doesn't do it." Link picked up a pot and then quickly dropped it. As Misa came by with a broom, Link snapped a pictograph of Gossack's shocked expression. "He's really shaken up." "I thought he wasn't as tough as he pretended," Misa said, "And don't worry about the pot. Those things break so often we had hundreds of replacements made." Back at Lenzo's shop, the pictograph salesman was impressed. "He really looks shaken."

"Just two more pictographs then," L said. Lenzo shook his head. "No just one more pictograph, then a different task altogether. For this last pictograph, I have often observed two young people passing each other on a regular basis. And I have often observed them glancing at each other. I would like you to photograph this moment. It might be quick, so look sharp." Link and L walked outside and saw a young woman in an orange dress. L looked to the right and pointed out a young man passing nearby. "This could them Link, keep an eye on them." Link and got his Picto Box out. Sure enough, the man and woman looked toward each other briefly, just long enough for Link to snap the pictograph. "Got it," he said, "Let's take this back to Lenzo." When Lenzo saw the pictograph, he scratched his chin. "It's clear these two have feelings for each other, but cannot bring themselves to voice their feelings. If that's the case, then perhaps I should take it upon myself to give them a nudge in the right direction."

"So what about the last task," Link said. "A simple one," Lenzo replied, "I just need a Forest Fairy from the Forest Haven." L quickly checked his pockets for the bottle containing the Forest Fairy he had grabbed earlier. "I told you we may need this," he said to Link as he handed the Forest Fairy to Lenzo. Lenzo took Link's Picto Box and started working on it. "There we are," he said as he returned the Picto Box, "This is your new Deluxe Picto Box. It takes full color pictographs as opposed to the black and white ones from before." "Awesome," Link said as he checked it out, "Don't know what we can use this for on our quest, but it's still an interesting novelty." As they exited, L overheard two middle-aged women gossiping. "Yes, I heard the two of them are involved," one of them said. "Excuse me," L said to the two women, "Who exactly are you talking about?" The two women, Pompie and Vera, turned to look at L. "Oh my," Vera said, "I didn't know somehow had overheard. Well, you see, there's a rumor going around that Lenzo, the man who owns the pictograph shop, is in a relationship with Minenco."

"I don't see what's wrong about that," Link said, "But maybe we should have a look for ourselves." L held up a finger. "One problem. If this is something Lenzo wants kept quiet, we'll never get anything just walking in the front door. We need to find another way in." Link put his hand to his chin. "Well, there was a back entrance into the bomb shop, maybe there's a back entrance into the pictograph shop." Making their way to a balcony above the pictograph shop, the boys entered the door there to find themselves in a small room in the back of Lenzo's pictograph gallery. Link saw two chests in here, one of which contained another treasure chart. "We keep finding more of these," he said to L, "I wonder if there's one for each island in the Great Sea." L just shrugged.

Noticing a crawl-space between the two chest, the boys crawled through and wound up in the very back of the shop. Near the entrance, L spotted Lenzo speaking with a woman around his own age. "That must be Minenco," Link whispered, "I'll take the shot, you see if you can hear what they're saying." L crept up to the counter and listened in. "Yes," Lenzo said, "I've been interested in pictography since a was a young lad." "I thought so," Minenco replied, "I knew this job wasn't just for rupees. I had no idea we shared a common interest." After Link took the pictograph, he and L snuck out of the shop and back to the two women. "Here's the pictograph," Link said, "Though it seems Lenzo and Minenco are just talking about a shared hobby." "My word," Vera said, "How embarrassing for us to be wrong." Pompie handed Link a treasure chart. "Thank you, young man, for clearing this matter up for us."

As the boys returned to the King of Red Lions, Link said, "Before we raise the Tower of the Gods, we should explore the islands and see if there is anything we can find with our new items." The first place they decided to look was Two-Eye Reef. Using his sister's telescope, Link spotted a flock of seagulls not far from the main reef. "Wonder what all the commotion's about," Link said as he steered the boat toward the gulls. L looked worried. "I have a bad feeling about this." Sure enough, once the boat got close enough to the gulls, a giant whirlpool appeared. From the center emerged a giant Big Octo. "Any ideas on how to destroy this thing?," Link said to L. "Try hitting its eyes with the boomerang," L replied, "They're supposed to be really sensitive." Link saw there were four eyes. Targeting each of them, Link was soon able to destroy the Big Octo.

From the spot where the Big Octo was emerged a Great Fairy, who blessed Link and L with more magic. Three more Big Octos were found and defeated at Fire Mountain, the Private Oasis, and Diamond Steppe Island. Heading for Seven-Star Isles, Link and L found yet another Big Octo, this one with twelve eyes. Link was still able to defeat it, and then used the Grappling Hook to pull up a Piece of Heart. The next island the boys arrived at was the Flight Control Platform. There they met two men dressed up as if they were Rito. "Greetings," one of them said, "My name is Willi. Here at the Flight Control Platform, we have a special contest for anyone who wants to try. Beat my brother Obli's flight record of 256 yards and win a special prize."

L looked over the course. "That doesn't look too hard Link. Wouldn't hurt to give it at least one try." Link looked out over the course for himself. "Can I use anything for flight? Besides wings, I mean." Willi nodded. "Anything you got so long as it keeps you in the air." Using his Wind Waker to make sure the wind was in the right direction, Link took a running start and jumped off the platform. As soon as he cleared it, he pulled out his Deku Leaf. He kept it as straight as possible until he finally hit the water. "Very good," Willi said, "That's a good 305 yards. Well done kid, here's your prize." He handed Link a Piece of Heart. As the two boys began to leave, they spotted another submarine. Nodding to each other, they headed inside.

There were some difficult enemies inside, including the annoying Miniblins and the fiend-summoning Wizzrobes, but working together they were able to take out all the enemies inside. The treasure chest they found afterwards contained a map detailing various sea platforms across the ocean. The stop they made was Tingle Island. As they got close, Link took out the Tingle Chart he had been given. "Least now I know where the island is. And I think these creatures Tingle scribbled on here are Great Fairies." He swung the Telescope around and saw another flock of seagulls. "Probably hovering over another Big Octo," he said to L, "Getting rid of them would make the Great Sea safer to travel." "As would clearing out those submarines and the sea platforms," L replied.

Link pulled the boat up to where the Big Octo was and defeated the twelve-eyed behemoth with his Boomerang. The remains left behind contained a Piece of Heart. "With all these Pieces of Heart we're getting," Link said, "Our health should be pretty good by the time we finally confront Ganondorf. So, where to next?" L thought for a minute. "Let's try going back to Greatfish Isle." At the island, Link saw a Piece of Heart one of the spires. Climbing up an adjacent spire, Link was able to use his Deku Leaf to reach it. Returning to the boat, Link had an idea. "Hey, Ryuzaki, are any of those sea platforms nearby?" L looked at the Platform Chart. "Looks like there's one at Stone Watcher Island. Let's start there."

As the boys approached the sea platform at Stone Watcher Island, Link used his telescope to check it out. "Better break out the cannon Ryuzaki. That platform has eight of its own." L nodded and readied the boat's cannon. "Shouldn't take more than two or three shots per cannon." With Link steering the boat and L manning the cannon, it wasn't long before all the platform's cannons were destroyed. "Let's get up there," L said, "There may still be monsters on the platform itself." Link nodded as he brought the King of Red Lions alongside platform's ladder. Sure enough, on top of the platform were two Bokoblins wielding cutlasses. Link and L drew their own swords and waited. The Bokoblins blindly charged in swinging their swords.

L easily blocked the first Bokoblin's attacks with his scimitar alone, swinging and slashing with the skills of a professional swordfighter. Meanwhile Link was easily dodging and parrying the other Bokoblin, delivering gash after gash to the frustrated monster. With a bloodcurdling scream, the Bokoblin swung with all its might, only to have its sword bounce harmlessly off of Link's shield. Link then rammed his shield against the Bokoblin, causing it to stumble backward toward the other Bokoblin. As soon as the two Bokoblins collided, L plunged his scimitar into both of them, causing them to explode into smoke.

"Alright," Link said, "Now let's see what these Bokoblins were guarding." He opened up to the two chests on the platform and found some rupees and another Piece of Heart. The two boys then headed for Crescent Moon Island. "Why are we here?," L asked. Link took out one of the treasure charts they had collected. "This chart here depicts this island. I'm thinking there may be something here." Sure enough, when they pulled up the chest from the ocean using the salvage crane, inside it was a Piece of Heart. As Link dropped the empty chest overboard, he spotted a submarine in the distance. "Let's check it out." Inside the submarine was wave after wave of Miniblins, who were fortunately easy to dispatch.

"That's more Miniblins than I ever want to see in a lifetime," L said as he opened the chest at the top of a platform. Inside he found another treasure chart. "Before we leave we should check out the island itself." On the island was an easily accessible chest with another treasure chart inside. "I'm surprised how easy this one was," Link said, "Are we sure there aren't any traps around?" "If there were," L said, "They would have gone off before we even reached the chest." The duo continued to sail until they reached Spectacle Island. As they passed it, Link saw a familiar face. "Is that Salvatore from Windfall Island?" He pulled the boat up to the island. "Hey there," Salvatore said, "You're that kid who won my squid-hunt game." Link nodded. "What's this up here?" "Well," Salvatore said, "As fun as people said my other game was, I figured I'd set up another game here for passing merchant ships."

L noticed a couple paintings next to the counter. "I don't use those anymore," Salvatore said, "The people who I painted those after didn't like me using them for my game, and I really don't like messing with pirates." L smirked when he realized the people in the painting were Gonzo and Tetra, minus the faces. "So what is this game anyway?" Salvatore pointed behind him. "I've set up several floating targets in the ocean, just within this cannon's range. The idea is to hit all the targets before you run out of ammo." "Sounds easy enough," L said, setting some rupees on the counter, "I'll give it a try." As Link and Salvatore watched in amazement, L managed to easily win two games with almost no effort. "That was amazing," Salvatore said, "Here, these prizes are for you." He handed over a Piece of Heart and a treasure chart.

The boys continued exploring the great sea until they arrived at Six-Eye Reef. Here L spotted another submarine. "I guess Ganondorf needs to keep an eye on all corners of the ocean. Come on, Link. Let's clear this one out." Inside the submarine was a single Moblin. "One Moblins no problem," Link said, "Let's rush it." L nodded, and the two boys drew their swords and cut down the Moblin before it could even turn to attack them. However, at that moment, another Moblin dropped from the ceiling. "Well," L said, "Sometimes it's easy, and sometimes it isn't." He ducked under the Moblin's spear swing as Link jumped over the pig, bringing his sword down on the monster's head. L followed up with a slash to the Moblin's back. Once the giant boar had succumbed to its wounds, a third Moblin showed up. Both Link and L sighed.

Once they had dispatched the final Moblin, Link checked the treasure chest inside the submarine and found another Piece of Heart. After that the boys headed for Needle Rock Isle. "So many different islands," Link said, "I'm starting to like sailing." L smiled. "Well, it's not unpleasant. At the very least, I'm not getting seasick." On the island was a chest surrounded by flames. Link looked around and saw something in a nest at the top of one of the spires. Looking through his telescope, he saw a crystal switch like the ones in the Forbidden Woods. "I think that switch may lower the flames." He dug into his Bait Bag and pulled out a pear with bruises on it that made it look like a face. "What is that?," L asked curiously.

Link put the pear on his head and waited. "This is a Hyoi Pear," Link explained, "Aryll always said seagulls love these things." Sure enough, a nearby seagull grabbed the pear and flew to hit the switch, avoiding the Kargarocs in the process. Once the flames were down, L opened the chest. "It's another Piece of Heart," he said, "It's like these things were left all over as tests or something." Back on the boat, he checked through the many treasure charts they had collected. "Here's one at Diamond Steppe Island. Let's head there Link." Once at the spot, Link hauled up the chest which contained yet another Piece of Heart. "We should be in top form for when we get to the Tower of Gods. Now where to next?"

They headed for Headstone Island. On the island, Link looked around with his telescope and spotted a Piece of Heart at the top of the island. "We'd never make it up there, but..." Spotting several seagulls, Link took out another Hyoi Pear and placed it on his head. A seagull came by to grab it and then flew up to grab the Piece of Heart for Link. "Smart birds," L remarked, "I can see why Aryll loves them so much." He scanned over the horizon and spotted another submarine. "Quite of few those around." Inside, Link and L found themselves surrounded by Rats carrying bombs. "Bombchus...," L said, "Not good." Link quickly got out his Boomerang and started throwing it wildly. After a bit, the explosions died down as all the Rats were killed. "Well," Link said as he calmed down, "That was crazy." He saw that a small fire in the back in the back of the submarine had gone down and checked out the chest behind it.

"Another treasure chart," he said to L, "We have quite a few of these now." L took another look at the treasure charts. "Here's something. The Angular Isles. That's a good spot to head too next." The chart led them to yet another Piece of Heart. After Link tossed the empty chest overboard, he took a look at the peculiar island. "It almost doesn't look natural," he said as he got out his telescope to observe it. Spotting a Piece of Heart at the top of the island, Link swam over to it and carefully traversed the island, which was apparently made out of stone blocks, to reach it. "We've traversed almost the entire Great Sea. Anything left." "Plenty, I should think," L said, "It almost feels like we've barely scratched the surface."

Going past the Five-Star Isles, the boys spotted another submarine. Inside it was a single Bokoblin along with several Keese. "Think you can take the Bokoblin alone?," Link asked his friend. "If you keep those Keese of my back," L replied. Link started throwing his boomerang to strike the Keese while L went to work swordfighting against the Bokoblin, easily taking it down. The chest the monsters had been guarding contained another Piece of Heart. "Same reward, different challenge," Link said, "At least it's not too repetitive." Back on the boat, Link examined his sword. "It feels like I've come so far since Orca gave me this sword. It's seen so much action. I wonder what he'd say now that I've seen real combat." "Why don't go ask him?," L said, "We're not too far from Outset Island, and I'm sure Tetra's crew has moved on by now."

* * *

Inside Orca's house, Link saw the old swordmaster doing some strength training. "Who's there?," Orca said as he turned around. Seeing Link, the old man smiled. "Well now, it's good to see you again. I'd heard you'd left to go find your sister. So tell me, how's that sword I gave you working out." "See for yourself," Link said as he drew the sword and handed it to Orca. The old man examined it with a fine eye. "I see... You've certainly put this to good use. Not bad for a boy your age. I think of practice to see how far you've come is in order." He handed the sword back to Link, then got out his hunting spear. "What say you, lad? Care to see have far your skills have come?"

* * *

L waited outside for what felt like hours. Finally, Link emerged, a look of triumph on his face. "How did it go?," L asked. "I've never seen Orca look so impressed at anyone's sword skills other than his own," Link said, "He even gave me this." He brought out another Piece of Heart. L smiled. "He's been waiting a long time to pass on his skills to a new generation. Given time, he may even teach you his ultimate technique." The boys continued sailing, their next stop bringing them to the Boating Course. Checking the island out, Link found a way into a secret cave. Despite being swarmed by Miniblins inside, he was able to reveal a treasure chest containing a Submarine Chart. "Someone went out of their way to make these charts," he said to L.

After stopping at the Forest Haven to get a treasure chart L had spotted earlier, the duo headed for Horseshoe Island. As they prepared to dock near the beach, L spotted a nearby cannon boat and quickly sank it with his own cannon. On the island itself, the boys found themselves playing golf with Deku Nuts to move forward until they reached a secret cave. The sight when they got inside made L cringe. "More Mothulas..." "Let me guess," Link said, "You don't want another Morth smiley-face?" L narrowed his eyes at Link. "I thought we weren't going to talk about that again." Link just shrugged as he drew his sword and started hacking away at the giant bugs. Once they were gone, he opened the nearby chest to find another treasure chart.

After exiting the cave, L saw another chest on a small outcropping near the island. He glided over to it and opened to find yet another treasure chart. Their final stop was Northern Fairy Island. Here Link spotted yet another submarine. Inside was a shallow pit with several Moblins. Although there seemed to be nothing leading up to the chest, Link noticed the very obvious hanging lanterns. "Looks like we won't have to fight for this treasure," he said as he swung across. Inside the chest he found another treasure chart. "That was a very easy one," L said as Link came back, "But we shouldn't leave this submarine manned." He threw several bombs into the pit, destroying the clueless Moblins before they could even sense the danger.

"Let's see what these treasure charts will us to," Link said as he and L got back in boat. The duo found multiple rupee caches at the Private Oasis, Eastern Fairy Island, Star Island, Western Fairy Island, Horseshoe Island, Tingle Island, Ice Ring Isle, Spectacle Island, Northern Fairy Island, Needle Rock Isle, Mother & Child Isles, and a final one in a seemingly empty stretch of sea. "The sea chart says there should be something here," L said, "But whatever it is must be underwater." "If you wish to know," the King of Red Lions said, "Then now would a good time to put those pearls in their proper place." And with that, he marked three islands on the sea chart. "All right then," Link said, "Let's go."

Next chapter: Tower and Tests

**I feel better already. And I hope these aren't getting too repetitive, but I can't keep coming with different fight scenes for everytime a monster encounter shows up, and most monsters are too simple to defeat to warrant that anyway. Anyway, read and review.**


	8. Chapter 8: Tower and Tests

**Here's where things start to get interesting. Disclaimer: I don't own Death Note or Legend of Zelda.**

Chapter 8: Tower and Tests

"Here's the last of the islands," Link said, "I hope this is worth it." He and L had already placed the other two pearls at Southern Triangle Island and Northern Triangle Island. Now they were at Eastern Triangle Island, the of the islands they needed to get to. "I'd love to see the look on Kira and Ganondorf's faces when the Tower of the Gods raises," L said as Link placed the last pearl on the statue. Suddenly a deep rumbling occurred and the statue began to shine brightly. "Uh oh...," Link said, "Duck and cover!" Link and L ducked down, but nothing happened. The two boys raised their heads a little, just in time for the statue to explode revealing a goddess statue underneath. The shockwave sent the boys flying across the sea.

The King of Red Lions watched as a beam from the statue traveled to the two other statues, transforming them. As the talking boat went to retrieve Link and L. The waves between the three triangular islands glowed a bright golden glow in the shape of three equilateral triangles with an empty space in the middle of them. In that space, a grand tower rose up from beneath the waves. As it continued to rise, Link and L humorously smacked into the outer wall just as it came up. The two boys fell into the sea just as the King of Red Lions arrived. "I hope I won't have to make a habit of this," he said to the boys, "This is the third time you've been flung across the ocean so far." "And it never gets any easier," L said as he got on the boat."

* * *

Mellow gazed in amazement at the tower that had risen from the depths of the ocean. _'I always thought there was nothing in the part of the Great Sea. Whoever was able to hide a tower that huge must have been extremely powerful.'_ He then noticed Aryll next to him. "What was that rumbling?," she asked. Mellow stepped down from his perch. "See for yourself." Aryll looked out the window. "I don't believe it!," she said in amazement, "It's the Tower of the Gods! My Grandma would always tell me stories about it." She turned to Mellow. "Do you think my brother and Ryuzaki are there?" Mellow shrugged. "Maybe. I can't say for sure. But considering all that's happened so far, I'd say it's a good possibility."

* * *

The King of Red Lions pulled up to the entrance to the tower. "Within this tower, Link, you will find a test of your courage. Pass that test, and the gods will find you worthy of the power to repel evil. And Ryuzaki, while you will be able to accompany Link through the tower itself, you will not be permitted to join Link once he reaches the test chamber until he has passed the test." The boys nodded as they sailed into the tower. Inside, the main lobby was completely flooded. L noticed a statue head in the very back that periodically poured water in the tower. "The water level is going to be a factor for the first few floors Link." Link nodded.

Finding their way into a room that could only be accessed at low tide, the boys saw a Yellow Chuchu in the middle of the room. "Be careful, Link," L said, "The yellow ones periodically discharge a bio-electric field. Hit it at the wrong time and you'll suffer a big shock." Link took out his boomerang. "Let's see if this can't solve the problem." He threw the boomerang at the Yellow Chuchu, stunning it. He then took out the stunned blob in one swing. After that, L found a Dungeon Map behind a cracked wall at high tide. "From the look of this map, it seems we start by heading north." Back in the main lobby, the door to the north was sealed off.

Link looked around and saw a glowing spot on the ground. Testing it, he saw that it unsealed the door. Unfortunately, the door resealed the second Link stepped off it. "There must something nearby to keep that switch pressed." He looked around again and saw a knight-like statue. "I don't know Link," L said, "It's bigger than we are." Link tried it anyway and found to his surprise that he was able to lift it easily. "It must be hollow or something," he said as he set the statue on the switch. As they headed through the door, L looked back at the statue. "I know I've seen a picture of that somewhere." He shrugged and followed Link. In the next room was a shallow pit that periodically filled with water. L spotted another glowing floor switch at the bottom.

Link looked around and saw several crates floating on the water. He waited until the water level dropped, then jumped into the pit and dragged one of the crates onto the floor switch. This created a glowing bridge across the pit. "Link," L said as Link got out of the pit, "If the crates float on the water, that means the bridge will disappear when the water level rises." "I figured as much," Link replied, "We just have to wait until the water lowers again." Once they could cross the pit, Link rushed across and grabbed a glowing statue that was on the other side. "There's nothing in this room to use this statue on, so I'm guessing it's something back in the lobby."

Sure enough, the boys spotted a switch back in the lobby that the statue could be placed on. This opened a grate opposite them. Getting back on the King of Red Lions, they headed through it. Once the water level was at its peak, Link and L climbed onto a ledge leading to another sealed door. This time, it took two statues placed on different switches to open the door. Inside the room was another shallow pit that filled with water periodically. At the bottom were several crates. Seeing nothing else, Link hit on an idea. Jumping into the pit, he quickly arranged the crates so that they could be used to leap across the pit without getting wet. "That should do the trick," he said as he climbed out of the pit.

L surveyed Link's work. "Yes, I think that arrangement will suffice. And judging from the fact that we have two unlit torches here, I have a feeling they need to be lit somehow." Link hopped across to the other side of the pit and saw a pot with several Boko Sticks. Seeing a nearby lit torch, he grabbed one of the sticks and lit it on the torch. He then jumped back across the pit and lit the two torches, revealing a chest containing a small key. Back in the lobby, Link spotted several cracked walls. "Get the cannon ready Ryuzaki. I got a feeling something important may be behind those walls."

Once the walls were down, the boys headed through the rooms on the other side until they a chest in a room at the top of some stairs. Floating nearby was a skull covered in red smoke. "Careful Link," L said, "That's a Red Bubble. Very weak defensive-wise, but if it hits you it will set you on fire. Also, once the smoke around it is dissipated, it will hop around at a surprisingly fast speed." "Okay then," Link said, "I'll hit it first, then chase it to you so you finish it before the smoke reappears." L nodded, and he drew his scimitar. Link took out his own sword and crept up behind the Bubble. He struck the skull, catching it off-guard. As it tried to flee, L plunged his blade into the skull's crown.

Once the Bubble was dust, Link opened the chest to find a compass. "Okay," he said to L, "Let's get back to the lobby." Back in the lobby, Link used two more torches to reveal a chest with a Joy Pendant, then he and L proceeded through a locked door using their key. Inside the next room, Link and L found themselves having to quickly deal with four Yellow Chuchus. Once the last one was defeated, a rainbow bridge appeared leading up to another statue. Link grabbed it and headed out with L back to the lobby. Once Link placed it on the switch, the main fountain closed its mouth and revealed a tunnel behind it, while two more fountains started up.

Guiding the King of Red Lions through the now open tunnel, the boys entered the next room to find a circular room that extended several floors up. Along with the Rats scurrying around the room, there was a statuesque enemy with a rotating orb on top. "What is that?," Link asked. L took a quick look through his bestiary. "It's a Beamos. Harmless from a distance, it will fire a deadly laser if something gets within its line of sight. Fortunately it's very near-sighted. We should be safe at this distance." Link took a look around the room. "Maybe, but I got a feeling we'll to get past it to get through here." He picked up a nearby statue and quickly ran across the room opposite the Beamos' vision, setting the statue down on another floor switch.

"You get the next one Ryuzaki," he called over. L nodded and grabbed the statue. He waited until the Beamos' gaze passed, then rushed over and placed the statue on a second floor switch. "Now there's the matter of the third floor switch," L said, "We're out of statues, and whatever these switches activate only works so long as they are pressed down." Link scratched his chin. "Maybe not. Maybe all we need is for all three to be pressed simultaneously, without needing to stay that way." L frowned. "Link, the odds of that being the case are a mere ten percent." Link ignored his friend and stepped on the switch. Several platforms just ahead of them started moving. When Link stepped off the switch, they kept moving.

"Remember when you said that relying on percentages would come back to bite me?," L said, "Well, it looks like I should have listened." They made there way across the platforms, Link stopping briefly to obtain another of the Tingle Statues. The next room was vast in size and had a giant pedestal in the center of the room. Link and L looked around. "It looks that door over there is the only open one," L said, pointing to the eastern door. Inside was a moving platform over a deep pit. "Yeah," Link said, "Definitely don't want to drop into that." They took the moving platform over to the other side of the room and headed through the door. The next room had a long, winding path to the other side with a wider platform above it.

Carefully the two boys walked over to the other side of the room where a statue sat on a pedestal. As Link approached, the Pirate's Charm started vibrating. _"Link,"_ came the King of Red Lions voice, _"The statue before you can follow your commands. Merely stand in front of it and place your hand of the tablet at its base."_ L dug his ears a little. "Call me crazy, but I could have sworn that was the talking boat instead of Tetra. I knew he could see through it, but I wasn't aware he knew how to talk through it. I hope he realizes he owes an explanation of this." Link turned to his friend. "I'm sure he will. He's given us no reason not to trust him so far."

He turned towards the pedestal and placed his hand on the tablet. The pedestal sank into the ground allowing the statue to hop off onto the ground. L turned back toward the platform above the winding path. "With the platform so low, we can't carry the statue across. We'll have to guide it with our actions." It was a little tricky, but they succeeded in guiding the statue to the other side of the room. Link then picked up the statue and carried back to the main room. Once there, the statue hopped onto a pedestal, which promptly rose up. As it did, a tablet appeared in front of the central pedestal. When Link examined it, his eyes lit up. "It's directions for the Wind Waker."

He took out the baton and copied the directions, learning the Command Melody. The tablet disappeared, and the door to the west opened. "I get the feeling we need to get statue from the other two doors to move on," L said, "And that song is the key to getting them here." The boys headed through the door. Inside was a bottomless with no platforms to help them across, and two Red Bubbles floating over it. "Let's take them out first," L said as he got out his Deku Leaf and swung it. The gust blew out the Bubbles' smoke and caused them to plummet into the pit. Link looked and saw a post that looked like it could be grappled. "That's our way across." He and L got their Grappling Hooks ready and swung across the pit.

The next room had a similar situation, which presented a problem. "How are we going to get the statue across the pit?," L asked. Link placed his hand on the tablet to get the statue down. He then looked around and saw a floor switch. "I got and idea." He stepped on the switch and made some light platforms appear. He then play the Command Melody and walked the statue over to the other side of the room. Back in the previous room, Link found that stepping on the next floor switch only unsealed a nearby door to the south. "We've got no choice but to leave the statue here for now and investigate that door," he said to L. He then placed the statue on the switch, and he and L swung over to the door to a new room.

As the boys entered the center of the room, they were greeted by a giant armored knight. "Oh boy...," L muttered, "That's a Darknut. According to the bestiary, they're Ganondorf's elite warriors." "Great," Link said almost sarcastically, "Did the book give any tips on beating them." L nodded. "While their armor is impenetrable from the front, it's vulnerable from behind. Of course, they move in such a way as to never to expose their rears to the enemy, but a good parry should rectify that quite well." Just then the Darknut swung his sword to smash the boys. However, they dodged out of the way. Link rolled around the massive knight and aimed his next sword swing at the straps holding the Darknut's armor in place.

As the Darknut stumbled from having his armor removed, L quickly gave an underhand swing with own blade to remove to remove the helmet. Now completely vulnerable, the Darknut made a desperate charge to attack the boys, who simply held their swords point-first in front of them. The Darknut became impaled and vanished into dust, leaving behind a glowing orb containing a Knight's Crest. Two chests appeared afterwards, one of them quite ornate. When Link opened it, his eyes widened. "It's a Hero's Bow," he said. He took out the ornate bow and tested the string. He then took out the quiver that came with it, already filled with a good supply of arrows.

L opened the treasure chest to find another Knight's Crest. "Let's test this weapon out," Link said as he headed back to the previous room. Seeing an eye crest just across from him, Link took careful aim and fired. The arrow struck the eye dead center and triggered two moving platforms. Using these, Link was able to get the statue into the central room. "Not bad archery for your first time," L said, "Almost as if you knew how to use it by instinct." "I know," Link replied, "It's like I know how to use the item I obtain the second I pick it up, like my own mind is giving me instructions." He and L quickly headed back to the room where he gotten the compass.

Here Link had seen another of the eye switches. Hitting it with an arrow opened a wall panel that revealed a chest containing a treasure chart. The boys then headed back to the central hub. Link had seen another eye switch in the eastern room, so they headed there next. Inside, they encountered a Wizzrobe. Link was able to defeat this robed bird with greater ease thanks to his new archery skills. Once it was dealt with, Link hopped on the moving platform and took careful aim at the eye switch. Once he nailed it, another moving platform was triggered. He and L rode this new platform into another room.

Inside, there were two large statue at the far end of the room. "Careful Link," L said, "I recognize those. They are Armos Knights. Inert normally, they will trigger when something approaches them, stopping briefly to emit a load roar. When they do, you can destroy them by placing a bomb in their mouths." "Okay then," Link said, "They're spaced out enough that I can probably take them out one at a time." Once both of the Armos Knights had been destroyed, a chest with a Joy Pendant appeared. The boys returned to the central room and took the north door. Inside here was a giant scale over a pit filled with water. "Link," L said, "Since you now have that bow, may I use your boomerang instead?" "Sure, Link replied, and he handed L the Boomerang.

L aimed at the Keese that were flying about the room and threw the Boomerang to nail each and every one of them. Looking around the room, the boys spotted a cracked wall to the west. Link prepared a bomb and threw it to destroy the wall. In the room behind it were two more Armos Knights and a Wind Crest. "I think the idea is to play the Wind's Requiem on this," L said, "But I have a feeling doing so will trigger both Armos Knights at once." Link smiled. "That's okay. We can just take one each." He played the Wind's Requiem, then he and L made quick work of the hopping statue. Once they were defeated, a chest appeared containing another treasure chart.

Heading back into the scale room, Link and L entered the opposite room to the east. Right in front of them was a deep pit that seemed to have no bottom. Fortunately, there was a bunch of floating platforms that could take them up. Carefully making their way up, occasionally hitting an eye switch to move higher, they soon reached two chests with a small key and a Joy Pendant. After making their way back to the scale room, L gave the scale itself a careful look-over. "I think it's pretty clear that simply jumping across these scales is impossible." Link looked at the four statues that were close by. "Hey Ryuzaki, do you think these statues might the same as us."

L took a quick look. "Well, there's one way to find out." He picked up the statue and threw onto the side of the scale closest to them. Link then threw a second one onto the scale for good measure. "Just to be safe," he said to L, "I'll go first, then you follow." Once both of them were on the opposite platform, Link unlocked the door leading to the next room. Inside they saw the final statue, blocked of by deadly lasers. Link looked around and saw a block in the center of the room. "I'm gonna try something." He climbed the block and used the Deku Leaf to easily glide over the lasers. He got the statue down of the pedestal and used the Command Melody to guide the statue over to a floor switch, disabling the lasers.

"Nice job Link," L said as he picked up the statue. They headed back into the scale, only to be greeted by a Wizzrobe. Link quickly dispatched it with his bow, then hopped across the scales to the other side. "I'll toss another statue onto to account for the added weight," he called over to L. "Make it fast," L replied, "My arms feel tired." Link threw another statue onto the scale, allowing L to hop across with the statue. Back in the central room, the final statue moved into placed, causing a bright light to emerge from the central pedestal. "Something tells me this will take all the way to the top," Link said. L smirked. "Well, better than taking the long way."

They stepped into the beam and found themselves in a room higher up in the tower. In this octagonal room there were Beamos on either side, as fell as three floor switches with two more statues. Once again Link placed two of the statues on two switches, careful to avoid the Beamos, then stepped on the third switch himself. This lower a laser barrier protecting a nearby chest. When L opened it, he found the Big Key for the tower. Just then, the statue began to quiver. "Oh now I remember," L said, "Those are Armos, weaker versions of the Armos Knights we saw earlier. Funny how they choose now to activate."

Link hopped out of the way as the Armos attempted to run into him. "Ryuzaki, how I defeat these things." "Easy," L said, "You can stun them by hitting their eyes with arrows, but you need to destroy the red gem on their backs to defeat them." Link carefully took each Armos one at a time. Once both were destroyed, the door leading out unlocked. Heading through it, the boys found themselves on a staircase outside the tower. "Amazing view," Link said, "Too bad we have no time to stay and enjoy it." The two boys made their way up the spiraling stairs, carefully avoiding or destroying the Beamos, a task made easier thanks to Link's new bow. At the top, the found the entrance to the final test chamber. "Guess this is it Link," L said, "Until you've completed your test I cannot enter this room. Well, I probably could but it might disqualify you. Anyway, good luck."

Link opened the door and entered the test chamber. "YOU HAVE DONE WELL TO MAKE IT THIS FAR," came a booming voice, "NOW COMES THE FINAL TEST. YOU HAVE ALREADY SHOWN COURAGE IN UNDERTAKING THIS QUEST, WISDOM IN REACHING THIS CHAMBER. NOW YOU MUST PROVE YOUR POWER BUT DEFEATING A MACHINE CREATED BY THE GODS THEMSELVES. BEHOLD, GOHDAN!" From the wall on the far side, an ornate head and a pair of hands emerged and dropped down to Link's level. Link noticed each hand had a gen on its palm. Quickly dodging the hands attacks, Link took out his bow and started firing arrows at them. Once the hands were disabled, Gohdan's head started trying to crush link by stomping on him.

Link quickly rolled out of the way. He pulled out his bow again, this time aiming for Gohdan's eyes. Once the eyes were disabled, Gohdan's head fell to the ground with its mouth open. Link took the hint and quickly ran up to the mouth and shoved a lit bomb into it. Once the bomb went off, Gohdan rose again. Link repeated the process two more times. After the third time, Gohdan stopped moving. "YOU HAVE DONE WELL," came the voice from before, "AND HAVE PROVEN YOUR WORTH. YOUR FRIEND MAY NOW JOIN YOU." The door behind Link opened letting L inside. As soon he entered, a panel on Gohdan's head opened up.

L's eyes widened when he saw who was inside. "Naomi? Raye?" Sure enough, it was indeed Raye Penber and his fiancee Naomi Misora, two former FBI agents that had met with L before. Both of them had been killed by Kira due to them simply investigating the case. "I'm surprised to see you here L," Naomi said, "Does mean that...?" "I'm afraid so," L said, "Though from what I've seen, Kira is here as well, so my successors appear to have succeeded where I failed, though not without sacrifice." Link had his hand on his chin. "Oh I get it. These two are from the world you were in before, but are actually friends." "Well," L said, "I wouldn't go so far as to say 'friends', but I have worked with them in past. By the way, Naomi, do you remember anything from just before you died?"

Naomi shook her head. "The last I remember before blacking out was Light Yagami admitting he was Kira. Judging from the fact that I felt no pain afterward, I can only assume he used some method other than a heart attack to kill me." "Actually," L said, "I think it very likely that Kira had you kill yourself, in such a way that no one would find your body. In fact I'm almost positive." Raye closed his eyes. "So it was Light. I saw him on that train just before I died. And from what Naomi told me, the other FBI agents died as well. I can only assume Kira tricked somehow tricked me into killing them for him." He turned to Link. "But now's not the time for such talk. Link, at the top of the tower you will find a giant bell. Once you ring it, it will open the way to a land far below the sea. And there, you will find the power to repel all evil." Link nodded as he took the Heart container dropped by Gohdan. "I'm ready for it."

Next chapter: Heroes and Hyrule

**Things are picking up now. Read and review, please.**


	9. Chapter 9: Heroes and Hyrule

**This chapter is gonna be extra long. Disclaimer: I don't own Death Note or Legend of Zelda.**

Chapter 9: Heroes and Hyrule

Link stood near the top of the Tower of the Gods. Just as Raye said, there was the bell at the top of the courtyard. "Something tells me," Link said, "What we do next is going to change everything." "Maybe," L said, "But there's no going back at this point. Not if we want to save Aryll." Link nodded, then took out his grappling hook and latched onto the bell. With a sound the reverberated across the Great Sea, the bell continued to sound until a beam of light emerged from the flooded courtyard at the base of the tower. Link and L were brought down the quick way by a floating platform, boarding the King of Red Lions when they reached the sea.

"You did well," the talking boat said, "Now the way is open to the lands below the sea." He sailed into the light and was dragged down through the waters. At first Link and L held their breaths. But when they could it no more, they found they were somehow able to breathe despite being underwater. "Guess I shouldn't be surprised," L said, "What with everything I've seen in this world up to now." The King of Red Lions finally settled in a small pool outside a large castle. Link and L looked around themselves in bewilderment at the strange lack of color in the lands around. "Just where are we?," Link asked. "I'm afraid I have no time to explain things here," the King of Red Lions said, "You will have your answers within that castle. The item you need to defeat Ganondorf is within there. It is an ancient sword, and you will know it when you lay your eyes upon it."

Inside the castle were several Moblins and Darknuts, all frozen in a moment in time. "They must have been a raiding party," Link said. L was busy examining a book on a pedestal in front of them. "The Book of Mudora," he read off the cover. He quickly skimmed through the pages of the book. "Link, I think this may be a complete history of these lands, which are known as Hyrule." "Hyrule," Link said, "But that kingdom vanished years before our ancestors settled the Great Sea." "Well according to this book," L said, "Hyrule is in fact under the Great Sea. Apparently Ganondorf was in the middle of conquering it when it was flooded in a massive rainstorm. The rains were so great that it became the Great Sea we know of today."

Link then looked at the two paintings on the wall next to the entryway the had come in from. One of a regal man with a beard and crown. "That must be the last of Hyrule, and this..." He looked now at the painting of a girl his own age. "That I believe," L said, "Is Princess Zelda." He took a closer look at the other people in the painting. "Link, do Zelda's attendants remind you of anyone?" Link took a closer look. "Tetra's crew..." L nodded. "Whether or not this coincidence, I can't say. But it is most interesting." The two boys walked down into the lower part of the grand hall, L still holding the Book of Mudora. At either side were five statues of two individuals. "These must the heroes who aided the first Hero of Hyrule," L said. He read of the names one by one. "Labrys, Naoto, Teddie, Rise, Kanji, Yukiko, Chie, Yosuke, Light, Naru-" He stopped for a moment.

"What's up?," Link asked. L checked the name he had just read. "Light? Light Yagami? But a different one from the one I know. Judging from his picture, I can't see him as becoming a serial killer with a god complex." Link shrugged. "Well, you apparently came from another world. If there's more than one, I'm willing to bet there could be millions, if not more. So what was the name of the last." "Oh," L said, "It was Narukami. Anyway the warriors depicted behind the heroes are said to be powerful spirits that they could summon by speaking their names. Judging from the names, they appear to references to ancient mythologies from my old world."

Link then noticed a statue of a young man with clothing resembling his own. "This boy must have been a great hero." He read the plaque at the base of the statue. "Dedicated to the honor and glory of the Hero of Time. May his legacy last forever." When Link finished reading, three triangle shaped blocks appeared in the middle of the grand hall. L took a look at the motif on the floor. "The image of the mystical Triforce. Link, I suspect we need to place the blocks on the colored parts of the floor." The two boys moved the blocks across the floor until they were perfectly aligned with the Triforce image. The blocks sunk into the floor, and the statue of the hero pulled back to reveal a staircase.

Inside the secret basement was a half circle of seven stained glass windows. The one in the center depicted Ganondorf about to lay claim to the Triforce. "Who are the people in the other six windows?," Link wondered aloud. "According to the book," L said, "They are six of the Great Sages from Hyrule's Golden Age." He pointed to the first window depicting a rugged man that looked to be made of rock. "Darunia of the Gorons." He pointed to the next window, depicting a middle-aged but fit woman in shadowed garb. "Impa of the Sheikah." The next window was of a younger, tanned woman in Arabian garb. "Nabooru of the Gerudo." The next one was an old man in priest robes. "Rauru of the Hylians." The next was a blue-skinned young woman with fish-like features. "Ruto of the Zora." The last was a young girl clad in green much like Link's garb. "Saria of the Kokiri."

"I don't think I've ever heard of these races," Link said. L closed the Book of Mudora. "Sadly many of them vanished during the flood. Though on Windfall Island I've heard talk of a few surviving Gorons. And remember the Koroks from the Forest Haven? If what the Great Deku Tree said is true, they may be all that's left of the Kokiri." Link nodded. He then turned his attention to the central pedestal. Embedded within was an ornate sword with a Triforce symbol etched into its blade. "This must be what the King of Red Lions was talking about." L nodded. "According to the book, it is known as the Master Sword. It is said that only those with the blood of the Hero of Time may wield it. Link, the King of Red Lions would not have brought you here if he did not think you could wield it."

Link nodded, and grasped the handle. After tugging for a bit, he felt the sword easily slide out of the pedestal. As he did so, the knight statues surrounding the room lowered their swords. Gradually, color began to return to the world around them. Link gazed at the new sword he had obtained. "This is it. This is the sword with the power to repel evil." He gave it a few test swings to get the feel for it. L smiled. "I thought as much. Seems the sword as accepted you as its new master. And you may need to use it very soon. If all the color has returned to the world, then those monsters upstairs will have come back to life." Link nodded as he and L headed back up the stairs.

By the time it was over, Link and L were standing triumphant in the center of the now monster-free grand hall. The Master Sword had proven very superior to Link's old sword. As the duo headed back out to the King of Red Lions, L returned the Book of Mudora to its pedestal. The King of Red Lions nodded in approval upon seeing Link now had the Master Sword. "Well done," the boat said, "With this, you now have the power you need to defeat Ganondorf once and for all. However, the fight will not be an easy one. It would be best if we took some time to prepare first." And with that, he sailed into the ring of light in front of them. Once back on the surface, the portal sealed shut. "Fear not," the King of Red Lions said, "When the time is right, the portal may open once again."

* * *

Ganondorf grinned as he felt a newfound strength flow through him. "It is as I expected. I knew from the moment I saw the Tower of the Gods rise from the depths of the ocean that boy would find the Master Sword. My power has returned to its fullest." Light seemed a little worried. "But if the sword is everything the legends claim, could he still not defeat you?" Ganondorf simply laughed. "Admittedly I did once underestimate just how powerful that blade is." He fingered the center of his chest. "I paid dearly for my oversight. Which is why I took steps before my resurrection to make sure that this time I would be protected from the Master Sword's power." He turned his head to Light. "Ready the guards. They will be coming soon enough. I need to free an old puppet." He raised a hand to the sky and began channeling dark energies.

* * *

Link and L returned to Outset Island. "Orca once said that if I proved myself by obtaining enough Knight's Crests," Link explained, "He would teach me his greatest technique. I must admit I'm a little curious." Inside Orca's house, the old man was continuing his training. He turned to see Link behind. "Oh ho," he said when he saw Link's new sword, "I see you have at last found a new sword. Let me have a look." Link took out the Master Sword and handed it to Orca. The old master eyed it carefully. "Well well. It feels heavy from the weight of a thousand battles, yet there's not a mark upon it." He handed the sword back to Link. "Only the legendary Master Sword could have such qualities. I had a feeling, Link, that you were of the same bloodline as the Hero of legend."

"That's not all," Link said. He showed Orca the Knight's Crests he had collected. "I see," Orca said in amazement, "Very well then, young Link. You have earned the right to learn my greatest technique." He instructed Link on how to channel more energy through his spin attack. When Link felt the moment his energy peaked, he unleashed a spin attack so massive he could barely keep control of it. After it dissipated, Orca broke down in tears. "At long last, I have succeeded in passing on the secret of the Hurricane Spin Attack. Link, I have nothing more to teach you. May your blade strike down evil across the Great Sea." Link nodded and bowed. "Thank you Orca, for all you have taught me."

Back outside, he saw L going over a chart he had gotten in the mail. "Who sent that?," Link asked. "Beedle," L replied, "It shows the locations of all his shop ships, where he docks at various times. Take a look at this one." He pointed to a picture of Beedle wearing a helmet. "I have a feeling there may be something of interest there. Let's check it out." The shop in question was at Rock Spire Isle. Here, Beedle was selling a Piece of Heart, a bottle, and a treasure at higher prices than his usual wares. Still, the boys were able to buy out everything he had. On the way out, L spotted a cannon boat. "Methinks that boat is piloted by some of Ganondorf's minions. We should take it out." Once they did, Link was able to salvage another Piece of Heart from the wreckage.

The boys then decided to check out the island itself. Hopping across the spires, blowing up rocks as they continued, they soon came to a secret cave. Inside, L used a nearby Boko Stick to light all the torches in the room, only to unleash a swarm of Keese. It took a bit of arrow and boomerang work, but the boys soon defeated the whole swarm and found a chest with a treasure chart. L then had Link follow one of their treasure charts to Southern Fairy Island. The treasure, as it happened, was another Piece of Heart. On the island itself, Link saw a giant rock with a crack in it. "If there is a fairy in here, there's only one to find out." He prepped a bomb and threw it at the rock. Once the rock was gone, Link and L entered the cave behind it. Sure enough, there was a Great Fairy inside the cave, who increased the number of bombs the boys could carry.

On the way out, Link spotted a trio of sea platforms. "We keep taking those out, not only will we get some good loot, but it will make it easier for merchant vessels." The boys got in the boat and approached the platforms. L quickly took out the cannons under the platforms, and then the two of them climbed up to the higher platforms. There were a few Bokoblins standing in their way as they glided down to the lower platform, but once again Link's Master Sword proved to be much stronger than his old sword. "That new sword almost makes it too easy," L said, "Not that I'm complaining. Now let's see what we have here." He opened the chests left behind to find a Skull Necklace and a treasure chart.

Back on the boat, Link looked at the sea chart. "There are a few more islands that probably have Great Fairies. Let's see which ones we can use." After checking the various islands, the boys managed to get a wallet upgrade at Northern Fairy Island, and another bomb bag upgrade at Eastern Fairy Island. They then headed for Star Island. After bombing open another secret cave, the duo entered only to be confronted by a number of dangerous monsters, a few Magtails, a bunch of Bokoblins, and finally two Moblins. Their reward for defeating all of them was another Piece of Heart. The duo then headed for Bomb Island. Inside the secret cave here, the boys had to use stunned Magtails to pass through a lava-filled cavern and reach another Piece of Heart.

"You ever get the feeling these monsters were placed in these spots by someone other than Ganondorf?," Link asked. L looked at him. "What makes you ask that?" Link shrugged. "It's like back in the Tower of the Gods. Some of the monsters in there did seem like they belonged to Ganondorf, but when you think about it, how could they have gotten in?" L put a hand to his chin. "You think they may have been replicas created to test potential Heroes?" "Maybe," Link said, "We know for certain that it's Ganondorf's forces in the submarines and sea platforms. But what about the secret caves? It's just a thought I had. Anyway, what next?" L looked at the sea chart. "I think now may be a good time to out Ganondorf's outposts at the reef islands. Let's take out one final sea platform first, then head for Cyclops Reef."

The sea platform in question was at the Seven-Star Isles. There were no cannons, but Link had to make good use of his bow to deal with the Wizzrobes flying around. Once they were gone, they opened the chest on the platform to find a treasure chart. After that, the boys rampaged around the reef island. Besides Cyclops Reef, there was Two-Eye Reef, Three-Eye Reef, Four-Eye Reef, Five-Eye Reef, and Six-Eye Reef. Each was riddled with cannon boats and mortars. After clearing out each one, the boys found a chest with a treasure chart inside. The charts led the boys to various specialty charts at other islands. They found an Octo Chart at Northern Triangle Island, a Great Fairy Chart at Four-Eye Reef, an Island Hearts Chart at the Flight Control Platform, a Light Ring Chart at Cyclops Reef, a Sea Hearts Chart at the Boating Course, and a Secret Cave Chart at Overlook Island. After that, they headed out for the Forsaken Fortress.

As they approached, they encountered a massive cyclone. "That must have been created by Cyclos," Link said, "Now may be a good time to keep out promise to Zephos." He steered the ship into the cyclone. Sure enough, as the King of Red Lions was sucked into the whirlwind, a red frog-like being similar to Zephos appeared. "So," the deity said, "You wish to teach me a lesson hey. Well, see if you like this." He then created a whirlpool beneath the cyclone. Link, thinking quickly, got out his bow and fired a few arrows at Cyclos. After the third hit, Cyclos seemed to have been knocked to his senses as he dissipated the cyclone. "You are quite strong," the cyclone god said as he shrunk down to the boys' size, "Let me reward you with a tune that will let you control cyclones yourself."

Link followed Cyclos' hand movements on the Wind Waker to learn the Ballad of Gales. After Cyclos left, Link decided to try it out. "It seems that closest island we can use this to warp to is the Mother & Child Islands." However, for some reason, the cyclone deposited the duo inside the Mother island. "Well," L said, "Needless to say we won't be sailing anywhere from within here." Just then, they heard the sound of laughter. _"I've been waiting for you. But now is not the time for us to meet. You must first meet the person you are meant to protect."_ "Then this shouldn't take long," Link said, "We're going to save my sister right now." _"Saving your sister is noble, but she is not the one I speak of. There is __another, one you have not yet met, yet know very well. You will understand soon."_ L took out the sea chart. "Link, the only other island close to the Forsaken Fortress we can warp to is Tingle Island, let's head there and get moving." Link nodded, but the voice's words still made him wonder.

* * *

Tetra and her crew began casing the Forsaken Fortress. She had grown anxious after seeing the Tower of the Gods rise from the bottom of the ocean. She was still worried about Link, and what had become of him. She didn't want to admit it to her crew, but she had come to like that goofy kid who insisted on joining her in an effort to save her own sister. "Miss Tetra!," came Gonzo's voice, "Sailing ship off the starboard!" Tetra swung her telescope to the right of the ship. Sailing up to the Forsaken Fortress was a bright red sailing ship, barely big enough to hold four people. Tetra was able to make out a lion's head on the prow, likely a figurehead. Tetra was surprised to find that the people sailing the ship were Link and L. She couldn't help but smile as she said, "Gonzo, get the crew ready. We're storming the fortress."

Next chapter: Rescue and Revenge

**Yeah, these collection chapters are getting boring. I can't wait to get back to my main project. Anyway, read and review.**


	10. Chapter 10: Rescue and Revenge

**Finally, we're up to a chapter I have been looking forward to! Disclaimer: I don't Death Note or Legend of Zelda.**

Chapter 10: Rescue and Revenge

"This is it," Link said as he and L sailed up to front gate of the Forsaken Fortress, "Everything we've been through leads up to this." "Yes," L said, "And this time no getting catapulted into the side of the fortress and losing our weapons." As they approached the gates of the fortress, L prepared the cannon. "Our only choice is to blast our way through the front gate. Should be easier than destroying a stone seal." As he said this, several cannons lining the gates began firing. L quickly used the cannon they had to take out the enemy cannons, then began focusing on the gate itself. Under the barrage of bombs, the gates crumbled like cardboard. "Now we have our way in," L said, "Let's hurry and save the day already."

As soon as the boys got to the courtyard, they heard a sinister laugh. "Link!," L said, "Behind you!" Link turned around to see a dark phantom emerging from his own shadow. "Impressive, isn't he," came Light's voice from an upper balcony, "Ganondorf created this phantom version of himself centuries ago to battle the Hero of Time. But the Hero proved too strong, and Ganondorf punished the phantom by banishing him to the void between realms." "Well," L said, "I hope he doesn't do something that severe to all his associates." The Phantom Ganon started charging a ball of blue light. "Link look out!," L shouted, "It's a game of Dead Man's Volley!" Link quickly readied his Master Sword. When the phantom lobbed the ball of energy at Link, he swatted it back to the phantom with his sword.

The phantom quickly returned the volley, only to have Link strike the energy ball right back. The volley continued for a few passes until Link returned a volley that Phantom Ganon was a little too slow to return. Struck with its own evil energy, the phantom became stunned. Link and L quickly charged at the phantom and started hacking away. Soon enough, the phantom came out of it and back off, readying another ball of energy. Once it threw the ball, this time it was L who returned the serve. "Well this stinks," Light said to himself, "That phantom is clearly unaware of how good a tennis player L is." Sure enough, it didn't long for L to return a fast volley the phantom couldn't keep up with. Stunned again, the phantom was helpless against Link and L renewed onslaught.

After a good deal of punishment, Phantom Ganon disappeared with a laugh. "Something tells me we'll be encountering him again before this is all over," Link said, "In the meantime..." He turned his attention to a chest that had appeared in the middle of the fortress courtyard. Inside was a giant hammer with a skull motif. "Well now," L said, "I think that may be the legendary Skull Hammer. Not the most original name, but it will most definitely be of use to us." Link took a look around the fortress area. "Looks like they've got the searchlights up and running again. But this time there are no barrels to avoid them. Then again, now that we're properly armed, why would we need to avoid them?" L nodded and pulled out his scimitar.

Heading up to where they knew the first spotlight was, L soon held out his sword to stop Link. "Looks like they've prepared some new defenses," he said as he pointed to some spiked pegs jutting out from the ground in front of where the spotlight was. Link just smiled and pulled out his new Skull Hammer. "Time to break this new toy in." Standing a few feet away, Link swung the hammer over his head and slammed it onto the top of the peg. The peg was quickly forced into the ground and stuck there. After doing the same thing to the other pegs, Link and L confronted the Bokoblin working the spotlight. Before the creature could react, L threw his boomerang to stun it. Link then quickly finished it off with the Master Sword. "Getting through this fortress a second time should be a little easier," L said as he turned off the spotlight."

* * *

Light approached Ganondorf on the fortress balcony. Just outside, the pirate ship from before was firing cannon after cannon against the massive Helmaroc King. "They're trying to do more than just destroy it, aren't they?," Light asked when he saw the pirates deliberately miss an easy shot at the giant bird. Ganondorf nodded. "They are keeping it busy. This can only mean they know the two boys are inside the fortress. They mean to make sure past mistakes are not repeated." He turned to Light. "Kira, I know you have defeated L in the past, but do not forget you do not posses the same powers you did before. I had offered them to you, but you refused. If it came down to a fight between you..." "It would be evenly matched," Light finished for Ganondorf, "Even with L now being just a boy. He clearly still has his old fighting prowess. I saw it earlier."

* * *

After disabling the third spotlight, and helping Tingle find a special broth to improve the power of his tings, the duo continued through the fortress, following the path they did before. Inside the room leading to the shipyard, Link noticed something. "They removed the hanging lamps. Looks like we need to use an alternate means of getting across the gap." He and L took out their Deku Leaves and quickly glided across. Back out in the shipyard, L noticed there was now a gleam in the eyes of a Moblin statue above the door. "Link, we need to move, and fast." Link nodded, and the two boys ran quickly across the platform, just as a laser beam fired from the eyes of the statue. The just missed the boys as they ducked into the next room.

The duo continued to climb up to the tower were the prison was, taking out a few Moblins along the way. "They must really want to safeguard that prison," Link said, "But why? Why Ganondorf even kidnap these people? Is he just looking for someone and not finding them?" "Questions better for left for later," L said as they approached the tower, "Right now we have more pressing matters." From the top of the tower came a swarm of Miniblins. L swung his scimitar in a defensive tapestry, knocking the Miniblins off the tower or into the wall, Link was quick to deal with any stragglers that somehow made it through. Finally at the top, Link used his Skull Hammer to open up the door. "Let's be careful Link," L said, "Don't forget about last time." Link nodded.

* * *

As Aryll played with the seagulls just outside the prison, she looked up when she heard the door creak open. Link and L peeked there heads inside and took a careful look around. "No sign of that big bird this time," L said. The two boys carefully walked into the room. Aryll cried tears of joy as Link walked toward the cell. "Big Brother!," she said, "Ryuzaki! You finally came!" Mello, who was nearby, chuckled. "Somehow I had a feeling you'd return. Only what took you so long." L smirked. "Same old Mello. You never change." "Uh, Ryuzaki," Link said, "We may have one final problem." Link had been trying the door, only to find it locked. L face-palmed. "I should have figured."

"Boy," came Tetra's voice, "You guys really didn't think things through, did you." Link and L turned around to see her standing by the door alongside Gonzo and Senza. "Seriously Ryuzaki," Tetra said, "Considering how smart you apparently are, I'd have thought you at least would now the prison was locked." L frowned. "Well forgive us if we didn't exactly have the time to look for a key." Tetra shrugged. "Maybe, but luckily we don't need one. Gonzo." Gonzo nodded, and proceeded to break down the door. "You know you guys are lucky," Tetra said, "If we hadn't been out there keeping the Helmaroc King busy, it'd be here now ready to snatch you up again." Once the door was down, Aryll ran out of the cell and hugged Link and L. "I was starting to think I'd never see you again," she said with tears in her eyes.

Tetra couldn't help but smile at the happy scene before her. Then she noticed the Master Sword strapped to Link's back. "Wait a minute... Is that... But... How could it be...?" She shook her head and tapped Link on the shoulder. "Hate to break up the happy reunion, but the big bird is gonna be back soon, and it won't be happy." Gonzo already had Mila over his shoulder, while Senza had grabbed Maggie. "I'm sure these girls' fathers will pay well for their safe return," Tetra said. She then noticed Mello. "You look familiar." Mello smirked. "I'm only the pirate captain you ran out of this very fortress a year ago." "Oh yeah," Tetra said, "I do remember that, now that I think about it. Well, we may as well give you a ride back to Windfall."

Link turned to his sister. "You'd better go with them, Aryll. It's definitely not safe here." "But what you and Ryuzaki?," Aryll said, very concerned. "Not to worry," Link said with a wink, "Your big brother has a score to settle with that oversized chicken. And from what I understand, Ryuzaki has a score of his own to settle." L smiled, glad Link understood that he wanted to bring closure to his rivalry with Light. Aryll started to leave, but then quickly pecked L on the cheek first. "Be careful, okay." And with that, she headed off with Tetra. "Don't worry," Tetra said, "I'll be back in a bit. And I'll my crew gets your sister Outset, free of charge." As Tetra headed out the door, L placed a hand on the cheek Aryll had kissed. "You're blushing Ryuzaki," Link said teasingly.

L shook his head. "Uh... Now's not the time for that. We have to be ready when the Helmaroc King comes." As he said this, the floor began to flood with water. "Someone must have opened a floodgate inside the fortress," Link said, "No doubt a last ditch effort to prevent any would-be rescue attempts." Just then, the Helmaroc King flew down from the top of the tower. L quickly looked around and saw a ramp leading up. "Not enough room to fight it here. Let's head up that way." The two boys hurried up the spiraling ramp, staying just one step ahead of the Helmaroc King as it pecked away at the wooden ramps. As the duo kept climbing, they saw sections of the ramp that were missing. "Quick," Link said, "Grappling hooks." After swinging across, they neared the top of the tower. However, the Helmaroc King blocked their way with its massive beak. "No you don't!," Link said as he slammed the Skull Hammer into the bird's head.

Finally getting out at the top of the tower, L saw the very person he had hoped to see. "Light Yagami." Light smirked. "L Lawliet." L raised an eyebrow. "Out of curiosity, how did you find out my real name? Even as I was dying on that day, I somehow knew neither you nor Misa were able to use the Death Note to kill me." "It's simple," Light said, "Remember the Shinigami Rem. Well, she was the one who killed you and Watari. Because she did it to save Misa's life, she died. And I got hold of her Death Note, which had your name in it." L couldn't help but smile. "You always were very clever, and manipulative. But we're in a different situation now. There's no gods of death or killer notebooks to save you here, else you would have used them by now."

Light shrugged. "To tell you the truth, Ganondorf did offer me such power, but I turned him down. Say what you will about me, but I was perfectly fine with only using the Death Note to kill criminals, until you and the ICPO got involved. And of course, other than the occasional pirate, of which there are so few, there don't seem to be many criminals in this world." L put a finger to his lips. "That's surprisingly noble of you. But tell me, why side with Ganondorf?" Light closed his eyes and hung his head. "It's Misa. Ganondorf has promised to help me find her once his plans are completed. And I don't want anything standing in my way." As Light finished, the Helmaroc King flew up through the quickly closing floor of the tower.

Link and L pulled out their swords. "I've got the bird," Link said, "Kira's all yours." L nodded. Link scanned the skies as the Helmaroc King flew across the horizon. Soon enough, it flew in close to the top of the tower and raked the floor with its talons. Link quickly dodged out of the way. Meanwhile, L was quickly dodging all of Light's blows as well as attacks from his broadsword. "I'd like to know where you got that sword," Light said when he saw L's scimitar. "Watari had it made," L explained, "A little something for self-defense purposes. And it's certainly had its uses." As the two continued their sword duel, the Helmaroc King landed on the tower ready to strike Link with it's beak. However, Link quickly dodged out of the way, causing the big bird to get its beak stuck in the floor.

"Time for a little hammer action," Link said as he took out his Skull Hammer. He slammed the hammer right into the Helmaroc King's head, cracking its mask a little. Back with L and Light, Light managed to nail L with a quick blow to the side of L's face. As L checked his jaw, he looked at Light. "You really don't learn, do you?" Before Light could react, L slammed his foot into Light's face. "An eye for an eye, my friend." Light slowly got up. "That actually hurts more when you're wearing shoes." He swung his broadsword downward, only to have L block it with his scimitar. "Well, how about this," L said, "I'm just a boy now, and we're still evenly matched. Unless you plan on surprising me with some dark magic." "I wish," Light said.

Link, meanwhile, had managed to completely destroy the Helmaroc King's mask. In anger, the big bird slammed its beak into the floor in an attempt to destroy Link, only to have him roll out of the way. With its beak stuck again, the Helmaroc King was wide open for Link's Master Sword. After a few quick sword swings, the giant bird was finished. It flew up, rather tired, as the various spotlights focused on it. Within seconds, the giant bird succumbed to its wounds and burst into dust, dropping a Heart Container in front of Link. As this happened, L had managed to stun Light by ramming the hilt of his scimitar of into Light's stomach. Surprisingly, Light didn't die along with the Helmaroc King. "Well this is interesting," L said, "But then again, you probably weren't even in control of that thing, were you?"

Light shook his head. "The Helmaroc King served Ganondorf directly. Besides, it was never his intention to sacrifice me." As L wondered what Light meant, Link headed up a small ramp leading to Ganondorf's balcony. "Ryuzaki," Link said, "Can you keep on eye on him?" L turned to Link and nodded. Link returned the nod and headed through the door. There, right where he was the last time, stood Ganondorf. "Welcome, young one," he said to Link, "I'm very impressed you have made it this far. You do a credit to your bloodline." He turned to face Link. "But now it ends here. Tell me, when you drew the Master Sword from it's pedestal, did you notice how color was returned to lands beneath the Great Sea."

"Do I look blind to you?," Link asked, "I don't think anyone could have missed that. Even the monsters that were frozen in the great hall came back to life." Ganondorf smirked. "Well, there is a good reason for that. Beyond just being the blade of evil's bane, the Master Sword was acting as a key that locked away my full power. When you drew it from the pedestal, you inadvertently allowed my full magical ability to be restored. Don't feel used however. I had my own plans in place to deal with that lock. If I had wanted you to retrieve the sword, you would have encountered far less resistance." Link narrowed his eyes. "You may have your power back, but let's see if you can deal with me!" He charged at Ganondorf, sword at the ready.

However, the Master Sword simply bounced off Ganondorf without hurting him. Ganondorf laughed manically. "Did you really think it would be so easy?" He backhanded Link, sending the boy flying across the room. He then drew his two swords. "The Master Sword has been dulled by my own dark designs," Ganondorf explained, "In its present state, it lacks the power to even touch me. And so, your journey ends here." But before Ganondorf could move to finish Link, Tetra appeared from the balcony's edge and surprised Ganondorf with a quick kick to the face. Landing at Link's side, Tetra tried to revive him. "Come on Link, get up." Ganondorf, enraged, grabbed Tetra by the neck and prepared to finish her. Just then, however, he saw the Triforce of Power in his right hand glow. Ganondorf smiled.

"It seemed I've found you at last," he said with a laugh, "Princess Zelda." Tetra could barely open her eyes. "I... I have no idea who you're talking about." As she spoke, her necklace slipped to reveal an upside-down V-shape. Ganondorf. "Is that so? Then why do you possess a piece of the Triforce of Wisdom?" But before Tetra could even answer, someone swooped in and grabbed her, followed by another person swooping in to grab Link. Ganondorf quickly rushed to the balcony to see Quill and Komali carrying Link and Tetra away. Before the evil king could do anything to stop them, Valoo appeared and fired a fireball from his mouth to destroy the balcony. The sky spirit then flew over to where L and Light were.

"Come on Light," L said as he helped Light up, "We need to get moving if you plan on seeing Misa again." Light's eyes lit up. "You know where she is?" L nodded. "She's been waiting for all this time on Windfall Island." Light smiled as he closed his eyes and shed a tear. "That close... This whole time she was that close." He and L climbed onto Valoo's neck and the sky spirit took off. L turned his attention back to the burning balcony. "I highly doubt that's the last we'll see of Ganondorf, but I wonder why Link was unable to defeat him, even with the Master Sword." "I don't know," Light said, "But Ganondorf often spoke of having found a way to weaken the Master Sword so it could not hurt him. I wonder what he spoke of."

Next chapter: Princess and Prizes

**Well, I finally got to this point. Things are gonna move a little faster from now on, hopefully. Read and review.**


	11. Chapter 11: Princess and Prizes

**I forgot to mention a few chapters ago that I gave my main characters from my first two stories a cameo. This is referencing a future story of mine. Disclaimer: I don't own Death Note or Legend of Zelda.**

Chapter 11: Princess and Prizes

Link, L, and Light were all watching Tetra. They were on the King of Red Lions in the flooded courtyard of the Tower of the Gods. Above them hovered Quill, Komali, and Valoo. "There is no need to worry," Quill said, "The girl is merely unconscious. She will be fine in a few minutes." "And by the way Link," Komali said, "Your sister is safe too. The pirates cleared the fortress before Valoo attacked." Link nodded. "Thanks for helping us out there Komali." Komali smiled. "Hey, I owed you one. If not for you, I'd have never gotten my wings." L smiled at the young Rito. "It's good to see you've found your courage." The King of Red Lions looked up at Valoo. "Many thanks for your aid. I must admit I knew Ganondorf's power would return once the Master Sword was retrieved, but I never imagined the sword itself would lose its power."

Valoo spoke to the talking boat in the ancient language. "I understand," the King of Red Lions said, "For now I must separate the children from Ganondorf as soon as possible. And do not worry. I do not believe Light is a threat to us anymore." Valoo nodded, and he, Quill, and Komali flew off. The King of Red Lions then turned his attention to his passengers. "Link, Ryuzaki. The time has now come for us to return to the land beneath the waves. And yes, as you've no doubt learned, that land is Hyrule. What happened to it shall be explained in full within. Trust me when I say that the Book of Mudora did leave a few things out on purpose. And Light, there is something of interest to you there." And with that, the portal back to Hyrule opened.

Tetra awoke to see Link, L, and Light hovering above her. "Ow," she said as she got up, "My head." She looked around at the small spring they were in. "Link? Ryuzaki? Where are we? And who is this?" She turned to Light. "That's a long story," L said. _"Then why not let me tell it personally," _came a voice from the Pirate's Charm. "Am I going nuts?," Light said, "Or was that the same voice as your boat?" "I'm fairly certain you aren't crazy," L said, "But how is this possible?" Tetra got a little angry. "Just who are you?! And while you're at it, how are using my Pirate's Charm?!" _"Return to the chamber where you found the Master Sword, and I shall explain everything."_

As the foursome entered the great hall, Light was immediately drawn to the statue of himself. "Hold on. Is this a statue of... me?" "Yes and no," L explained, "Apparently it's a legendary hero who aided the first of Link's ancestors. I never read all the details in the interest of saving time, but perhaps one day I'll research it." "Hey guys," Link said, "The chamber is open again. Looks like we're about to get our answers." He led the group down in the master chamber. Inside, right in front of the pedestal where the Master Sword once stood, was a familiar man in red robes facing away from them. "You there," Tetra said angrily, "Are you the one was using my Pirate's Charm." The man raised his head but did not turn around.

"That charm is an enhanced version of the ancient Gossip Stones," he said, "One of the legends of the Hylian Royal Family. I made it myself." "No way," Tetra said, "This was a gift from my mother. How do you even know about, let alone claim to have made it?" The man simply chuckled. "Have you heard the legends of the old kingdom? The one where the golden power was said to lie? Ask Ryuzaki. He knows of it. In fact, he received a book from an old friend detailing its fate." L blinked. "How did you know that?" "Because," the man, "I am the one who asked Watari to send it to you. This land is that very kingdom, Hyrule. And I am its last king." He turned around to reveal a very familiar man. "Now way," Link said, "You're the king from one of the portraits in the great hall."

The man nodded. "I am Daphnes Nohanson Hyrule. Tell me, Link, Ryuzaki, do you perchance recognize my voice?" "Certainly," L said, "It's the same voice as the King of Red Lions. But are you saying that...?" "I am," King Daphnes said, "'King of Red Lions' is one the honorary titles I received during my reign. Up until now I had chosen to speak to you through the vessel you had using to sail the Great Sea. I had not intended to reveal my true identity, but now that it is clear that the Master Sword has lost the power to repel evil, I have little choice." He hung his head. "Ryuzaki, perhaps you are eager to learn the full fate of this once grand kingdom." L looked confused. "Wasn't it drowned in a massive rainstorm."

"Yes," King Daphnes said, "And no. Long ago, Ganondorf attempted to turn Hyrule into a land of shadows. The people eagerly awaited one with the blood of the Hero of Time, but no one appeared to save them. Unable to stop Ganondorf myself, I had little choice but to appeal to the gods for salvation. In response, the gods sealed away not only Ganondorf, but all of Hyrule. They buried it eternally under a torrential rainfall. But they knew that sealing away the people of the land as well would be just what Ganondorf wanted. So they gathered a few chosen people, and placed them on the mountaintops. When the rains subsided, those mountains became the islands you know of today. And those chosen people are your ancestors. As long as Ganondorf stayed sealed away, Hyrule would forever remain frozen in time."

The king then turned towards Tetra. "Step forward child." Tetra did so. King Daphnes then took hold of Tetra's necklace. "Do you know what this is?" "It's just a pendant my mother gave me," Tetra said, "What's the big deal?" King Daphnes smiled. "This is more than a mere pendant, child. It is a piece of Hyrule most sacred treasure, the Triforce of Wisdom. When combined with the other two Triforces, the Triforce of Power and the Triforce of Courage, it forms the legendary golden power, the true Triforce. It was this power that Ganondorf sought for himself all those centuries ago. Your ancestors were commanded by the gods to keep this piece out of Ganondorf's hands at all costs. And so it is with you. If I may..." He took the necklace from Tetra, and then brought out a small golden triangle that looked like it could fit with the larger piece.

"It is time for you to understand your true destiny," the king said as he united the two pieces. There was a flash of light that blinded the boys. When it subsided, Link looked in amazement. Tetra's normally tanned skin had become much lighter. Her dirty blonde hair was now a much brighter color, and came down naturally instead of being tied up in a bun. And instead of her normal pirate clothes, she wore a regal princess gown. "Behold your true destiny," King Daphnes said, "Princess Zelda." "Zelda?," Light said, "The very same girl Ganondorf had been searching for?" The king nodded. "Link. Ryuzaki. I am sorry for involving the two of you in this. And Light, had I known what would become of you, I would have helped you all those months ago. I truly wish you could have been left to your peaceful lives, but now is not the time for regret."

He teleported over to the entrance to the chamber. "For now it is better that Princess Zelda remain here. Ganondorf does not know of this chamber, so she will be safe beneath the castle. This is how it must be, for now that Ganondorf has found that which he sought, he will be searching for her more frantically. In the meantime, I may know why the Master Sword has lost its power. But we must return to the surface to do anything about it." And with that, the king vanished. "Guys," Light said, "I think it best if I be taken back to Windfall Island. Besides that fact that I wish to see Misa again, I would only be compromising Zelda's safety by staying here." L smiled. "Very well then." As the trio left, Zelda spoke with Link.

"Link, I just want to say how sorry I am, for everything. It's because of me that you were thrown into this. That giant bird kidnapped your sister all because it mistook her for me. If I had never come to your island..." Link smiled at her. "Hey don't worry about it. To be honest, I'm glad you came. Ganondorf would have destroyed everything by now if that bird hadn't been chased to Outset. And I can honestly say, I'm glad to have met you." As he turned to leave, Zelda quickly grabbed his arm and quickly kissed him. "Be safe," she said. Link nodded. "Of... Of course." As Link walked out of the master chamber, the statue of the Hero of Time moved to hide the chamber once again.

Back at the King of Red Lions, L and Light were waiting. "Anything happen we should know about," L said with a knowing smile. "Just that you may have been right," Link said. The King of Red Lions turned to look at the boys. "Listen well Link, Ryuzaki. In times of old, the king of Hyrule would use the Wind Waker in conjunction with two sages at two different temples to make prayers to the gods that the Master Sword would retain its power to repel evil. If the Master Sword has lost this power it can only mean that something has happened to the sages, and I believe Ganondorf may be responsible. The sages should be at the Wind Temple to the north, and the Earth Temple to the south. You must travel to these temples to see what has happened."

"One problem," Light said, "Ganondorf sealed of the castle from the rest of Hyrule. How are they supposed to reach the temples?" The talking boat chuckled. "One thing Ganondorf did not count on, is that the temples have secondary exits at the peak of the mountains where they were located." Link understood. "And those mountain peaks are now islands in the Great Sea!" "That's right," the king said, "I will mark the islands on the sea chart. We should check them as soon as possible. Now, let us leave before our presence draws Ganondorf's forces here." After the boat reached the surface of the Great Sea, the King of Red Lions turned to the boys again. "I just remembered something important we'll need for later."

"It concerns the third of the Triforces doesn't it?," Light said, "The Triforce of Courage." The king nodded. "There was a time when Ganondorf tried to use the powers of the Twilight Realm to conquer Hyrule. But a descendant of the Hero of Time, known as the Hero of Twilight appeared along with the Twilight Realm's princess to defeat Ganondorf. The Hero of Twilight's final blow to Ganondorf was believed to have destroyed him once and for all. But somehow the Hero knew Ganondorf might return, so he had the Triforce of Courage broken into eight pieces, which he then scattered across the land. They rest even now beneath the waves. It is said there are special charts that lead to them, but they must first be found and then translated." "Well, first things first," L said, "Let's return to Windfall Island."

Misa stood yet again at the edge of Windfall Island. _'Yet another trading ship come in, and still no sign of Light. I hope Ryuzaki was right about him being alive.'_ At that moment, she saw Link and L's boat pull up to the shore. _'There they are now. Maybe they have some news.'_ At first she didn't notice there was a third person on the boat. When Misa finally the person, her eyes lit up. "Light! It's you!" Sure enough, Light was getting of the boat when Misa ran over to him and embraced him. "Misa," Light said, happy to have his beloved back, "I've missed you so much." Misa was so happy she began to cry. "I can't believe it. It's like a dream come true." L cleared his throat. "As touching as this reunion is, did Tetra's ship happen by here." Misa thought for a second. "Yeah, actually. They returned the two girls that had been kidnapped from here."

"What about a young man with blonde hair?," Link said, "Or my sister?" Misa nodded. "They were there too. The young man disembarked and is still on the island, but I think your sister stayed on the ship. Last I saw it was heading in the direction of Outset Island." Link breathed a sigh of relief. The four of them sat down for a long chat about recent events. Light didn't want to mention his brief servitude to Ganondorf, and Link and L were more than happy to oblige. "Seems Mila's dad lost all his fortune trying to find his daughter," Misa said, "That's what you get when you pay sailors in advance. On the other hand, Maggie's dad somehow got filthy rich after she returned. Rumor is he made a fortune off the Skull Necklaces she brought back."

"Wow," Link said, "I'm happy for Maggie, but poor Mila. Is she doing anything to help her father?" Misa nodded. "I hear she got a job working for Zunari's new shop. Though I thought I saw her eying Zunari's rupee safe." L put a finger to his lips. "Link, I have a feeling we should hang around Zunari's shop tonight and make sure that girl isn't up to any mischief." Link nodded. "It would be best if we waited until nightfall. I doubt Mila would be stupid enough to try anything in broad daylight." They hung out around Zunari's shop for the rest of the day. Mila seemed to be chatting with Mello for most of the time. "Do you it's possible that Mila may have on crush on him?," L asked, "I don't like to speculate but it seems likely." Link just shrugged his shoulders.

That night, L and Link spied Mila sneaking out of her new, rather ramshackle house. "Looks like she's heading for Zunari's shop," Link said, "Let's follow her, but not too close." The two boys carefully followed after Mila from a distance, hiding behind various objects whenever she turned around to see if anyone was following her. At one point Mila nearly caught a glimpse of Link. "Who's there?!," she called in surprise. Link quickly mewed. Mila breathed a sigh of relief. "Just a cat. For a second I thought someone was following me." As he hurried off, Link and L peeked out from behind the box they were using for cover. "That was way too close," Link said.

The two boys finally caught up to Mila in front of Zunari's safe. "Gotcha," L said, placing a hand on Mila's shoulder. "Yipe!," the girl cried out, leaping almost a foot into the air. She turned around to see the two boys. "Hey, aren't you two those boys from the fortress? What are you doing here? Don't you know it's rude to spy on other people?" L waved a finger in front of Mila's face. "Ah, but such things can be forgiven in the face of such blatant criminal activity. And forgive my saying, but it looked an awful lot like you were planning on breaking into that safe to steal a few rupees." Mila hung her head. "Well, yeah. I guess you guys have me. But, well, with my father to distraught over his lost fortune to do any work, I had to find some other means of getting rupees."

"Yeah but, stealing from the person you work for?," Link said, "You're lucky Zunari's not the who caught you, or might never find work again. Then where will you and your dad be. It's not like you can just regain your old fortune overnight." Mila shook her head. "I'm not trying to. Actually, I'm a little glad I'm not rich anymore. For starters, do you know how uncomfortable that dress was? What I'm wearing now may be a fashion statement, but at least I can wear it without having to be in an awkward pose. And besides, now that my father doesn't care who I see, me and Mello could-" She quickly blushed.

"Ah ha," L said, "You do have a crush on him." Mila turned even redder. "Well, I suppose I could forgive you for telling Mello that much. I mean, it might be a chance to see how he feels. But about the whole safe-robbing thing-" "We'll keep it quiet on one condition," Link said, "That you promise to help your father by working hard and not being a thief." Mila smiled and nodded. "Okay. I guess I should thank you for setting me straight. I obviously have nothing of value, but I do have this." She handed Link a bottle. "Actually," he said, "This is more valuable to us than any number of rupees." "Speaking of," Mila said, "The reason why this safe is always so full is because of the nightly auctions Zunari has. You should check it out."

L began chewing his thumb. "A nightly auction, huh? Link, we may find items there that would not be sold to the general public otherwise. Let's go ahead and see for ourselves." Mila led the duo to where the auction was being held. "The reason why I was in such a hurry is because it's my job to bring out the item of the night and keep track of the bids. Hope you guys have plenty of rupees, because the items that come through here fetch high prices. And don't worry about being too young, because it's open bid to all ages." Zunari came onto the stage to greet the bidders as Mila ducked into the back room real quick, coming back out with a Piece of Heart.

"Well well," Link said, "You can't buy that at just any shop. Good thing we always keep a good supply of rupees on hand." As the bidding progressed, Link practically stunned the crowd with how much money he was willing to spend. Soon enough the Piece of Heart was his. "Well done there young man," Zunari said as he handed Link his prize, "Remember that we only give one prize per night, so if you're interested, be sure to return tomorrow." That sounded like a good idea to the boys, and over the next few night they earned a Joy Pendant and two more treasure charts. "One of these charts leads us right here to Windfall Island," Link noticed, "Let's check it out."

However, when they pulled up the treasure, it was only a single rupee. "Talk a about a slap to face," L said, "Oh well. Why don't we check in with Maggie?" They soon found the rather opulent house that Maggie and her father had moved into. "Wow," Link said, "Take all the houses back on Outset, and I bet they don't equal one-hundredth the price of this place." "It is rather marvelous isn't since," said Maggie's father as he came down the stairs, "You two are the ones who helped save my beloved daughter, yes? That kidnapping turned out to a stroke of fortune for us. She came home with many, many Skull Necklaces, like the ones you see around the necks of Moblins. They are worth a modest sum, as turns out, but the rupees did add up with how many Maggie had on her."

Link dug into his Spoils Bag. "We happen to have a few of those ourselves. Fought our fair share of Moblins while sailing the Great Sea." The man's eyes lit up at the sight of all the necklaces Link had. "Good heaves, that is quite the collection. Say young man, I don't suppose you'd be willing to part with a mere twenty of those. In exchange I offer you this treasure chart, which I'm sure will lead you to something just as valuable." "Why not?," L said, "We don't need them." Link handed Maggie's father the necklaces. The old man dug into his shirt pockets and pulled out the chart. "Excuse me if it is somewhat moldy. I found before I even became rich. And if you wish to speak to my daughter, feel free. She is in the room upstairs."

Link and L bowed to the old man in respect, then headed up to see Maggie. The girl was delighted to see them. "Hello there you two! My word, isn't it strange how a little kidnapping can change one's destiny. Me and Mila had been friends even before we were forced to share a jail cell, and we each wished to have the others life. And now... Well... Here we are. I must say though, I never knew why Mila was so eager to lead the life of a pauper. After all, being rich is the best thing I can think of." "Well," Link said, "There is the fact that Mila is free to have a relationship with Mello now." "You mean that man that was with us in the fortress?," Maggie said, "Yes I remember him. Well as it happens, I too fell in love with someone while I was there."

"Your friendship with Mila might get strained if you start pursuing her love interest," L said. Maggie giggled. "Not Mello, silly. I speak of... Moe." Link and L looked at each other. "Hold on, other than you, Mila, my sister, Mello, and Light, there were only monsters in that fortress. That is, if you can count Ganondorf as a monster." "Well," L said, "I suppose that is debatable, but in either case... Bokoblin or Moblin...?" "Moblin, of course," Maggie said, "Where else would I have gotten all those Skull Necklaces?" She sighed dreamily. "Moe, you see, was the jailer at the fortress... And he looked so... So dashing." Link raised an eyebrow at the thought of a Moblin looking dashing. "Didn't Sturgeon once mention a psychological condition similar to this?" "Yep," L said, "In my old world it's known as Stockholm syndrome."

"Well whatever you call it," Maggie said, "It's love to me. Actually, I've written out a letter for Moe. I was hoping to send it to him, but my daddy hates the post office for some reason. I think he had a traumatic childhood experience with someone from the Rito tribe. Either that or he's just prejudice. Anyway, I'd like you to do me a favor. Could you mail my letter to Moe for me? But please, don't read it. It contains the secrets of a girl's heart within, after all." "Okay...," Link said, "I guess..." He took the letter and placed it in his Delivery Bag. The next day, having mailed the letter, Link and L returned to Maggie's house to see what had happened. The overheard Maggie's father arguing with the postman Ilari.

After the Rito stormed out, clearly upset, the boys followed him back to the milk bar. "I can't believe Maggie's dad actually acted that way towards Ilari," Misa said when she saw Link and L, "I mean, refusing postage is one thing, but he didn't have to be so rude." L nodded. "But why did Ilari deliver the letter personally?" "Well for starters," Light said, "I'm sure you've noticed there are no postboxes at the Forsaken Fortress. Ilari had to ask each Moblin their name before he could deliver the letter. No easy task. Not only do Moblin's typically attack on sight, but they're so dumb they can't even remember their own names. Except Moe. Moe always did a have few thousand more brain cells than the rest of the Moblins, put together."

"That explains why there was a reply at all," Link said, "But why didn't he just place the reply in the postbox?" "Well Maggie hasn't left her house after she and her dad became rich," Misa explained, "Not because of her father's rules or anything, she just loved her new house so much she didn't want to leave. And since her father hates the post so much he'd never retrieve the letter. So Ilari decided he'd have to give the letter in person." "And boy do I regret it," Ilari said, having overheard the conversation. L had an idea. "Say Ilari, me and Link are free to come and go from Maggie's room as we please. Perhaps we could deliver the letter for you." Ilari considered it. "Well, there seems to be no other way of getting this letter to its recipient."

He handed Link the letter, who placed it in his Delivery Bag. The boys returned to Maggie's house. When Maggie received the letter, her eyes lit up. "Oh my. I never knew Moe was so... Poetic." Link looked over the letter. It was legible at least, but calling Moe's words "poetic" was stretching it a bit. "Well," he said, "At least he seems a lot more civil than the other Moblins. As strange as it sounds, to me and Ryuzaki at least, I hope it works out for you." "Thank you," Maggie said, "And here's something for your troubles." She retrieved a Piece of Heart from the dresser. "It's amazing what you can find just lying around on the streets sometimes."

The boys continued looking around when town when L spotted something that caught his eye. "Well well. It's been a while since I've seen a school. I wonder how we've missed that until now." Inside the school was a very nice looking woman named Mrs. Marie, who was obviously the teacher at the school. "Hello there," Mrs. Marie said, "You two boys look rather mature for your age. Perhaps you can assist me with a little problem I have." "I'm sure we can oblige," Link said, "It's something we've become accustomed to over the past month or so." "Well then," Mrs. Marie said, "It seems four of my students, who unfortunately have become rather delinquent as of late, have formed a group together which they call the Killer Bees. I have always prided myself on being a fair and reasonable teacher, but I am at my wit's end with these four. Perhaps they will better listen to someone their own age. Would you speak with them?"

Link and L nodded, then headed outside to look for the boys. It didn't take long, as the Killer Bees were right outside the school. "Hey there," said Ivan, the groups leader, "Me and my friends here overheard your conversation with the teach. No don't get me wrong, Mrs, Marie is a nice lady and all. But we don't like having to conform to all those rules. I mean really, have you read the list of rules they have at this school? If not, take a look over the sign there. It has them all." The duo looked over the list of rules. "Some of these rules are rather unreasonable," Link said, "And I'm sure Mrs. Marie would prefer it if the school weren't so strict." Ivan put a hand to chin. "You got a point. Tell you what. Me and my friends will play a little hide and seek with you two. If you can find us all, we'll try and work things out with our teacher."

L shrugged. "I suppose there's no harm in that." After he and Link closed their eyes and counted, the Killer Bees split up and spread out over the island. Link and L then began searching. Soon enough, they had found Ivan up a tree in the town square, Jin behind Cannon's bomb shop, Jan above the auction house, and Jun-Roberto behind the island's only tombstone. "Wow," Ivan said, "You found us all so fast, I actually got dizzy. Maybe we have had only one of you search for us." "It wouldn't have helped," L said, "Link was the found who spotted all four of you." Ivan grinned. "Well, either way, you found us, so a deal's a deal. Maybe with Mrs. Marie's help, we can actually put the joy back in the School of Joy."

"That's reminds me boss," Jin said, "Isn't Mrs. Marie's birthday coming up. We should do something nice for her. After all, she's always trying to nice to us." Ivan nodded. "Good thought Jin. That's why you're second-in-command of this gang. Come to think about it, Mrs. Marie just loves those Joy Pendants." Link reached into his Spoils Bag. "You mean like this." Ivan gasped. "Yeah, those are them. Where did you find them?" "Bokoblins carry them quite frequently," L said, "And we've fought quite a few on our journey." Ivan grinned and rubbed his nose. "Well then, maybe you could give a few of those to Mrs. Marie, on our behalf of course." Link nodded. "Why not?" "One more thing," Jun said as he dug into pockets, "I found this while I was hiding. You can have it as a reward for finding all of us." He handed Link a Piece of Heart.

Mrs. Marie, as it turned out, was overjoyed to receive so many Joy Pendants. "Well now, hearing that this was all Ivan and friends' idea just makes me very happy. And perhaps we could do without a few of the more frivolous rules. I mean really, being forced to maintain direct eye-contact with the teacher at all times? How are the students supposed to follow this rule and still be able to their schoolwork? Anyway, I would like to thank you by offering you these." She handed Link a rolled-up scroll. "That is the deed to a nice little cabana on a private island out in the Great Sea," Mrs. Marie explained, "I'm sure you'll find it most charming." She then handed the boys a jeweled mask. "This is known as the Hero's Charm. Legends say that those who wear it can see how much more strength their foes have in combat."

Interested, Link tried the mask on. "Well," L said, "It does make you look a little silly. But does it work?" "I don't know," Link replied, "There aren't any enemies around. Anyway, there's something that's got my interest since our last visit. Remember that couple Lenzo has take a pictograph of? How they looked at each other briefly but didn't speak? Lenzo said he was going to give those two some help personally. I'd like to know how that's coming along." L rubbed his chin. "Well, I do recall seeing that same young man back in the milk bar. Why don't we go ask him?" Inside the milk bar was the young man in question, named Anton. "Hello there," he said when he saw the two boys, "Tell me, have you seen a rather nice looking young woman, one with black hair done up in a bun?" "Sure," Link said, "We met her in passing."

Anton looked around for a bit. "Well, as it turns out the man who owns the pictograph shop mentioned her, and that she might... You know... Be interested in me. But the thing is, I'm not so good at asking a girl out. I'd need some kind of motivation. Maybe you could talk to her? Her name is Linda, by the way." "We'll certainly try," L said, "I think we saw her in the town square." They found Linda, who seemed to be considering something herself. "Oh," she said when she saw Link and L, "Hello there. Tell me, do you know of a young man with short, auburn hair that poofs up a bit?" "You mean Anton?," L said, "We were just talking with him?" "Wow," Linda said, "The man who owns the pictograph shop said Anton might be the man I've been waiting for."

"He was actually hoping to talk with you," Link said, "But he's kind of shy, apparently. Is there anything you can think of that may get him to want to talk with you?" Linda thought for a moment. "Well, maybe if he got a better look at me. Try talking a pictograph of me, but make sure you get my whole figure. That way Anton can see my nice dress as well." Link nodded, then backed up so he could snap the pictograph. "Okay," he said when the pictograph popped out, "That looks perfect. Come on Ryuzaki, we need to show this to Anton." When Anton saw the picture of Linda, he was so smitten that he ran off to ask her out for coffee. The next day, Link and L found them having a very nice chat. It was clear they were in love. "Thanks for your help," Anton said when he saw the boys, "Here, this is for you." He offered them a Piece of Heart.

"We're really helping a lot of people here," Link said as he and L passed by Zunari's stall. The sight of the objects on the stall caught his eye. "What's going on here?" "Ah," Zunari said, "I'm planning on starting a trade business. Perhaps you'd like to help. It's a great chance to make plenty of rupees." L nodded. "I don't see why not, since we keep criss-crossing the Great Sea anyway." Zunari smiled. "Then take this, and find one of the Goron Merchants. The three of them can be found at Greatfish Isle, the Mother & Child Isles, and Bomb Island. Trade this to the right merchant and you will get a better item. Start with this." He handed Link a Town Flower. "Cool," Link said as he placed the flower in his Delivery Bag, "Let's start with Mother & Child Isles. There's something I wanted to check out there anyway."

Using the Ballad of Gales to reach the center of the Mother Island, L turned toward Link. "Does this have anything to do with that voice we heard before?" Link nodded. "If you remember, the voice said they would reveal themselves to us when we found the person we had to protect. We know now that person is Zelda so..." Soon enough, a purple glow emerged from the center of the pool. The glow formed into a little girl who looked no older than Link or L, holding a Great Fairy doll. "Hello there," the girl said, "I am the Great Fairy Queen. You have impressive control over the wind for one so young." "Well," Link said, "It helps to have the blessing of a god or two."

The Great Fairy Queen giggled. "I like you. Tell you what, I will offer you a special magic to help in your quest." She conjured up a pair of fairies who circled around Link, shining red and blue. Link felt a new power well up from within him. "Whoa," he said, "What was that?" "You can now use fire or ice magic with your arrows," the Great Fairy Queen explained, "The fire arrows are hot enough to melt the coldest ice, while the ice arrows are cold enough to freeze the hottest flames." "Wonder what would happen if they were used against each other?," L pondered, "That might be a case of an unstoppable force meeting an immovable object."

The Great Fairy Queen giggled. "Well then, good luck with your journey. And just so you know, you're just my type, Link." She winked and then disappeared. "Wow," Link said, "I seem to be getting rather popular. Anyway, back to the matter of Zunari's trade business." He warped them out of the Mother Island and they began trading the items. Soon enough, they had traded the Town Flower for a Sea Flower, and the Sea Flower for an Exotic Flower. They briefly returned to Windfall Island to see how Zunari's business was doing. Judging from the smile on his face, it was going well. "Thank you very much," he said to the boys, "My business is really growing with these new items. I've even been able to afford to give Mila a pay raise."

Link looked over to see Mila chatting with Mello as she worked. From the look of things, Mello had decided to assist Mila by working at the shop himself. "With good workers like these two and your help across the Great Sea," Zunari said, "I feel my business could grow even larger. In fact, I would like to give something as thanks for the work you have done so far." He handed Link a purple prism. "This is known as Magic Armor. While its aura surrounds you, you will take no damage in battle. However, it slowly drains magical energy, so use it wisely." Link nodded. "Thanks Zunari. We'll be back with even more new items." He and L continued sailing across the Great Sea, meeting with the three Goron Merchants.

Soon enough they had traded the Exotic Flower for a Pinwheel, the Pinwheel for a Big Catch Flag, the Big Catch Flag for a Big Sale Flag, the Big Sale Flag for a Hero's Flag, the Hero's Flag for a Sickle Moon Flag, the Sickle Moon Flag for a Skull Tower Idol, the Skull Tower Idol for a Fountain Idol, the Fountain Idol for a Postman Idol, and the Postman Idol for a Shop Guru Statue. When Link showed the Shop Guru Statue to the Goron Merchant on Greatfish Isle, the merchant liked it so much he offered Link another Piece of Heart. "I wonder these people even find these little gemstones," Link said. L shrugged. "Maybe they were guided to them somehow and thought they'd be a good reward for a certain task they wanted done. Really who knows. Anyway, I was thinking maybe we could use some of the items we've obtained for Zunari to decorate the town."

After placing items on various spots throughout the town, man named Sam approached the boys. "I'd like to thank you boys for bringing some splendor to this fine town. I happen to represent the Joyous Volunteers, a group of people dedicated to brightening up Windfall Island in any way possible. As thanks for your contribution to our cause, I'd like to present you with this." He handed Link another Piece of Heart. As night began to fall upon the island, L noticed something. "I see a lighthouse on this island, but no light is coming from it. Something must be wrong with it." He and Link headed up to the entrance. To the left of it, Link saw a floor switch across a small ledge. After stepping on it, Link looked above him to see the windmill. "I wonder..." He used the Wind's Requiem in order to get the windmill moving again.

Heading up to the balcony near the windmill, Link and L hopped onto one of the platforms attached the arms of the windmill. At the top, where the lantern of the lighthouse was, Link saw a basket of wood at the top. "With no other flames to lit that wood with," he said, "There's only one other thing." He readied an arrow and charged it with fire magic. Link waited until the lantern was in view again, then fired. The wood instantly lit up once the burning arrow hit it, lighting the lantern in seconds. The two boys hopped back to the balcony, where the lighthouse watchman Kreeb was waiting. "My word," he said, "It's been too long since I've seen the lighthouse active again. Thank you boys. I think I have something here to properly reward you." He offered Link another Piece of Heart.

"We keep finding these jewels and soon enough we'll have stamina to spare," Link said as looked over to see a chest on a rocky outcropping in the middle of the ocean, just off of Cannon's shop. It had appeared after the lighthouse had been lit. After getting the wind blowing in the right direction, Link glided over using his Deku Leaf and opened the chest. "And another Piece of Heart. I'm sensing a pattern here." As Link looked out over the sea, he saw the full moon perfectly. "Cool. I should get a pictograph." He took out the Picto Box and snapped the pictograph. "Nice. Maybe after this is all over I'll have this framed." He met up with L back on the shore. As day began to break, they noticed a young man named Kamo looking rather distraught. "You look a little upset," L said, "Do you need some help?" "I don't think you could," Kamo said, "You'd need to understand me first."

L smirked. "Well, I do happen to have some knowledge of psychiatry. What is it you need?" Kamo sighed. "I'm in love, you see. But not with a person. What I love most in life is the most perfectly round and pale thing in existence." Link quickly got out the pictograph he had taken of the full moon. "Does this qualify?" Kamo stared at the pictograph in amazement. "That's it exactly. Guess you understand me better than I thought." _'Not like it was hard,'_ L thought. Kamo dug into his bag and handed Link a treasure chart. "Here. My way of saying thanks." Passing outside the pictograph shop, Link spotted Minenco. "Hey there," Link said, "Aren't that nice lady we saw with Lenzo? We overheard the two of you talking about your shared interest in pictography."

"Well now," Minenco said, "It's a little refreshing to meet someone who realizes my true relationship with Lenzo. Admittedly, at one point out relationship was a bit more romantic. But that was forty years ago, when I was known as Miss Windfall Island." She looked around a bit. "Between you and me, I still have some concern about my appearance. I'm far from obsessive, that's just unhealthy. But any women wants to know they are still nice to look at as they grow older." Link thought for a bit. "I think I now how I can help. I happen to be good at pictography myself." He backed up so his Picto Box could snap a pictograph of Minenco in full. "Say fairy." "Fairy," Minenco said as she gave a big smile. Link snapped the pictograph and handed it to Minenco. "Oh that's great," she said, "It's nice to see I still look good after so many years. I believe I have something for your kindness." She handed Link a treasure chart.

"Always doing things that help others," L said, "But now I think may a good time to set sail. I hardly think everything we can do to prepare is found on Windfall. Before we head to the two temple, let's see if Light can tell us anything about Ganondorf's plans there." They entered the milk bar. Light was there, but apparently Misa was on break. "What's up you two?," Light said. "What can you tell us about the Wind and Earth Temples?," Link asked. Light put a hand to his chin. "I know the Earth Temple is beneath Headstone Island, and has been blocked off by a huge stone statue. It's impossible to break, even with bombs. As for the Wind Temple, its beneath Gale Isle. The seal on the entrance is far more fragile, in fact you could use the Skull Hammer you got at the fortress to open it. The problem is the seal is constantly emitting a windstorm."

L closed his eyes. "Ganondorf's work no doubt. He knows we'd need to visit those temples to restore the Master Sword. This can only mean he knows about the secondary entrances to the temples." "We may still be able to find a way through," Link said, "The Great Fairy Queen gave us that arrow magic for a reason. I seem to recall two particular islands we encountered on our journey that we couldn't set foot on. One was Fire Mountain, the other was Ice Ring Isle. Maybe we can find out what secrets those islands hold using the arrow magic." "Fire hot enough to melt the coldest ice," L remembered, "Ice cold enough to freeze the hottest flames. Of course. There must be something on those islands we'll need to access the temples."

Before they could leave, Light touched L's shoulder. "There's something I should tell you before you leave. Besides myself, Beyond, and Higuchi, Ganondorf recruited two more people from our old world. They were from after you died in that world, so you wouldn't know of them. So I think it best I tell you of them now. Actually, one you may be a little familiar with. Her name is Kiyomi Takada." L nodded. "Right, that women from your college you were pretending to date to look like a normal college student." "That's right," Light said, "I met up with her again years later when she had become a news anchorwoman. At that moment I had chosen a proxy to do my work as Kira so I could avoid suspicion, which Near had done a good job of spreading among the task force. This proxy had already killed Demegawa, who had been Kira's spokesperson at the time, when it became clear he was no longer truly serving Kira."

L got it. "And then this proxy chose Takada as Kira's new spokesperson. I assume by this point you had already given Misa certain instructions to give up ownership of the Death Note for good. So Light, am I correct in thinking this proxy is the other person Ganondorf recruited?" Light nodded. "His name is Teru Mikami, and he used to be a prosecutor. I had seen him a few times on the show Kira's Kingdom, and I got the impression he worshiped Kira. So sent him the Death Note, along with instructions to follow which would give the powers of the Second Kira, the power to kill someone just by looking at their face." "I've always wondered about that," L said, "Up until the appearance of the Second Kira, I had thought you needed a name and a face to use the Death Note." "I doesn't change," Light said, "But with the powers of the Second Kira, you gain the eyes of a Shinigami, letting you see a person's name and lifespan just by looking at their face."

L's eyes widened. "So that's how it works." Link had been listening the whole time. "I can follow a lot of this, enough to understand the situation, and it sounds like Mikami might prove to be a fanatical opponent. But, what about Takada?" Light sighed. "I kinda had to string her along, make her believe I was tired of Misa. I even went so far as to make her think I'd make her a goddess in the new world. However..." "You were planning on disposing of her at the first opportunity," L said. Light nodded. "Takada may not realize that her death came at my hands, so she may still think I plan on keeping my promise. Both of these individuals can be very dangerous, and since they've been in the temples this whole time they don't know I've stopped working for Ganondorf. Be careful."

Back out at the Great Sea, the boys headed to the two remaining fairy islands, Western Fairy Island and Thorned Fairy Island. These two islands required the Skull Hammer to enter the fairy spring, and the Great Fairies inside increased the number of arrows Link could carry. They then headed for the Cliff Plateau Isles, where they passed through a secret cave to reach the very top of the island. Here they found a chest containing a treasure chart. Using some of the treasure charts they had obtained, the duo was able to find Pieces of Heart submerged near Pawprint Isle, Rock Spire Isle, Three-Eye Reef, the Five-Star Isles, and the Forest Haven. "Say Ryuzaki," Link said at the Forest Haven, "Why don't we pop in and see how the ceremony is going?" L nodded. "Why not? I'm a little curious myself."

Inside the haven the Great Deku Tree was looking a little worried. "Ah Link, Ryuzaki," he said when he saw the boys, "I am glad to see you. As you may remember, after the forest ceremony, eight of the Koroks spread out of the Great Sea to plant new trees. Well as it happens, they have not returned yet. I can still feel their presence, so I can only assume something is wrong with the trees they have planted." "Maybe they just need watering," L suggested. "Perhaps," the Great Deku Tree said, "But it would take the natural spring water that flows through this haven to do the job. If you would be so kind, perhaps you could bottle some and use it to replenish the newly planted trees. Be aware that the spring water will stagnate after twenty minutes of being bottled up. However, while it is still fresh, it will replenish itself."

"All right then," Link said, "Could you tell us where the missing Koroks are?" The Great Deku Tree nodded. "I shall mark the islands where I sense them on your chart. Good luck young heroes." Link bottled some of the water and he and L raced out of the Forest Haven. They had to use the Ballad of Gales to do it in time, but they quickly found all the Koroks, and the trees they were looking after, on the Cliff Plateau Isles, Shark Island, Greatfish Isle, Needle Rock Isle, Link's Oasis, Easter Fairy Island, the Mother & Child Isles, and Star Island. The last tree quickly grew to giant size and dropped a Piece of Heart for Link to pick up. "One final detail," Link said, "Let's finish up with those treasure charts." The boys sailed out and found rupee caches at Six-Eye Reef, Shark Island, the Forsaken Fortress, Headstone Island, and Fire Mountain. Link looked at the last island, which was an active volcano in the shape of a dragon's head. "Time to douse this hot-head," Link said as he prepared an ice arrow.

* * *

Deep within his true sanctum, Ganondorf contacted Takada and Mikami. "Our plans have been delayed, and your master has gone missing. Until further notice you now answer directly to me. Maintain your places at the temples. I have a feeling the young hero and his friend will be arriving before too long. L is someone you have not encountered in life, but do not underestimate him. He has proven to be a true wild card in this whole affair." Both Takada and Mikami nodded. Ganondorf smiled. "And one more thing. When the time is right, be sure to put my last two servants to good use. They are not meant to sit idle, after all." From behind Takada appeared a rather massive figure, while behind Mikami came something almost serpentine.

Next chapter: Harps and Horrors

**Been a while since I've posted such a long chapter. Not my longest, but oh well. Read and review.**


	12. Chapter 12: Harps and Horrors

**Whew, this is really getting crazy. I hope I get done with it soon, though it will be worth it in the end.**

Chapter 12: Harps and Horrors

Link aimed one of his new ice arrows at Fire Mountain, an island that doubled as an active volcano. "Let's see if this works," Link said as he fired an arrow at the mouth of the dragon head that was the volcano's peak. As soon as the ice arrow connected, the whole island froze. It quickly thawed, but it was clear the volcano wouldn't be acting up for a while. "Come on Ryuzaki," Link said, "Let's find out what this island's hiding before it starts acting up again." He and L quickly ran across the island until they found a hidden cave in the dragon's mouth. Inside the cave it was clear the lava was still a significant threat. "We need to make this quick," L said, "I get the feeling the ice arrow didn't stop the volcano altogether." The two boys quickly leaped across several magma platforms until they reached a chest guarded by two Magtails.

"We have no time for you," Link said as he quickly parried both Magtails' attacks and destroyed them with the Master Sword. "Good that sword is still strong enough for lesser monsters," L said as he opened the chest. Inside he found what looked a pair of bracelets. After he slipped them on, he something click, then the subtle rumbling that had been going on through the cave stopped. "Link," L said, "There is a seventy-once percent chance that the volcano is no longer active. I believe it may simply have a defense mechanism for these bracelets. Now that we have them, the mechanism is no longer needed." Link observed the bracelets. "Well, they must be pretty important. Do you feel any different wearing them?" L saw a giant stone head behind the chest.

"Now that you mention it, I do feel... Stronger somehow." Cracking his knuckles, he placed both hands beneath the statue head and tried to lift. To his and Link's amazement, he was able to lift the stone head with very little effort. Throwing the head into the lava, L smiled. "It would appear these amazing bracelets either increase ones physical strength, or at the very least enable an individual to resist pressure when lifting objects. With something like this, we could enter the temple inside Headstone Island with ease." Leaving through the opening behind the statue, the two boys returned to the boat. "I see you have recovered the Power Bracelets," the King of Red Lions said, "It was left there by the gods to be used in times of emergency." "I'd say what we're going through now qualifies," Link said, "And now that I think of it, there may be a similar cave beneath Ice Ring Isle. Let's head there next."

They soon arrived at the Ice Ring Isle, which was essentially the polar opposite of Fire Mountain. The icy dragon's head spewed forth a maelstrom of sub-zero winds, making it impossible to approach without getting frozen to death. Or at least, most sailors would find it impossible. Link, on the other hand, was ready with his new fire arrows. "If these things really can melt even the coldest ice, then it should be enough to thaw out this whole island." He aimed for the dragon head and fired. Once the winds stopped, Link then aimed for the island itself. After most of the ice thawed, he and L quickly raced across the island until they found their way into its interior.

At the far end of the cave, Link spotted another chest and opened it. Inside he found a pair of boots with some sort of metal attached to the bottom. As soon he took them out, a mechanism activated stopping the winds for good. Link tapped the metal at the bottom of the boots. "Iron. And these boots feel pretty heavy. I bet they'd make whoever wears them tough to knock over. We may need these to get into Gale Island and find the temple there." L nodded. "Let's get back to the boat and plan our next move." Outside, the King of Red Lions awaited them. "Very good, you've found the Iron Boots. These boots have been used for various purposes in the past. In particular, as I'm sure you've figured out for yourselves, they can be used to resist wind storms like the one on Gale Island." Before they left for the island, Link used his fire arrows one last time to retrieve a treasure chart from within the ice.

* * *

Back on the pirate ship, Aryll was hard at work cleaning up around the deck. Gonzo, who in charge due to Tetra's absence, was a little surprised at Aryll's choice to help out. "You know you really don't have to help out here," he said, "Miss Tetra did mention we were taking you back to Outset free of charge." "I know," Aryll said, "But I can't just sit around all day. I'm actually to this sort of work." Gonzo sighed. He had learned long ago that it was pointless to argue with women. "Well, at least let us pay you for this work. Otherwise it'll feel too much like slave-labor, which is something we're all against on this ship." Aryll smiled. "Sure, if you want to. But, I don't really need much. Oh yeah, I almost forgot to thank you guys for the great new dress." She had changed into a pink dress adorned with pirate skulls due to her other dress being so dirty. Apparently it had once belonged to Tetra. As she dumped out the water from her bucket, she looked out toward the sea. _'Big Bro. Ryuzaki. I hope you're both okay.'_

* * *

Back on Headstone Island, L easily lifted the giant statue blocking the way into a cave. Inside, there was little more than a stone slab with directions on it. "Looks like the entrance to the Earth Temple is sealed with more than just a statue," L said, "I wonder if playing the melody on this slab will do anything." Link memorized the melody and mimicked it on the Wind Waker. "This seems to be called the Earth God's Lyric. But it didn't seem to..." As Link watched, a ghostly figure appeared next to the slab. She appeared to be some mix of human and fish, and wore a pure white robe. L recognized the species instantly. "She's a Zora," he said, "Or rather was a Zora." "That is correct," the Zora woman said, "I am Laruto, the Sage of Earth. It was my duty to aid the kingdom of Hyrule to aid the gods by praying that the Master Sword continued to hold the power to repel evil."

Link pulled the Master Sword out of its scabbard. "I guess something must have gone wrong, the sword has lost much of its power." Laruto nodded. "When Ganondorf invaded long ago, he had his minions attack this temple. With no Hero to protect the temple, Ganondorf to steal my very soul, weakening the Master Sword's power. To restore, someone of my bloodline must be awakened as the new Sage of Earth, using the melody you have just learned. You will now that very person by the instrument they carry, which is the same as mine." Link sighed heavily. "Too bad there are no more Zoras, right Ryuzaki?" L was too busy staring at the harp Laruto held. "There may no longer be any Zoras, but maybe it's not because they went extinct. Maybe they simply evolved into a different form. Link, does Laruto's harp seem familiar to you?"

Link took a look. "Yeah, it looks just like the one Medli has. Oh!" L nodded. "I begin to suspect the Rito tribe is an evolutionary offshoot of the Zora tribe. Which means there is a ninety percent chance that Medli is the sage we are looking for." Link closed his eyes. "Somehow I'm not surprised. Medli is supposed to be the attendant to Valoo. Maybe that was little more than preparation for her true destiny." L nodded. "Let's hurry back to Dragon Roost Island. I suspect we will find Medli there." Once they returned, the sound of harp music was unmistakable. "I think it's coming from the aerie," Link said. Once the got up there, they saw Medli practicing with her harp. Watari was nearby, directing her. "Oh," Watari said when he saw L and Link, "Welcome back Ryuzaki."

Medli turned around. "Oh, Link. Ryuzaki. You're both okay. I'm so glad. When Quill and Komali rushed out for the Forsaken Fortress, I was almost afraid something terrible had happened. Actually, Komali's been asking about your adventures a lot lately. He's always wanting to hear about your adventures across the Great Sea." She giggled. "I almost feel like a mother watching her child grow up." Link looked at the harp that Medli was playing. "Is music important to being an attendant?" "I guess so," Medli said, "That's what my grandma told me. You know, this harp has actually been passed down through many generations of my family, going all the way back to the era when the Hero of Time existed." Link closed his eyes and pulled out the Wind Waker. "Oh wow," Medli said, "Is that a baton? How cool. Would you mind conducting me?"

_'Here goes,'_ Link thought as he played out the Earth God's Lyric. Once it was complete, Medli suddenly fell into a deep trance. As she slept, she saw a vision of Laruto in her dream. Playing along with the Zora sage, Medli saw an image of the Triforce with the Master Sword in the center. When Medli woke up, she was being held in Link's arms. "I understand now," she said came to, "I saw a vision, and in it was that sword you carry." Link nodded. "We need to get you to the center of the Earth Temple. Without the Master Sword's full strength, we can't even tough Ganondorf." Medli looked at the sky as she saw Komali fly overhead, clearly enjoying his new wings. "I'd prefer it if Komali not see me go. I'd like him to remember me as I was before." She got up. "We'd better hurry. Lead the way Link."

L hung back as Link and Medli headed for the boat. "I guarantee you Komali is going to ask what became of Medli," he said to Watari, "When he does, be sure to tell him the truth. I would also suggest you tell him to wait until after we've defeated Ganondorf before visiting her." "Hey Ryuzaki!," Link called up to him, "Let's go!" L jumped down to were the boat was and the three of them headed back to Headstone Island. Once on the shore, the King of Red Lions gave Link and Medli some quick advice on working together. Inside the entrance cave, Link again played the Earth God's Lyric. Medli played along, and at the sound of her harp the stone slab crumbled into dust. "Be careful inside," L said, "Chances are high that some of Ganondorf's minions are still lurking about in there." Medli nodded.

On the other side of the slab was a large pedestal with a wide hole in the center. Medli quickly leaped into it. "Well," Link said sheepishly, "You can't say she's not brave." L sighed. "There is a difference between bravery and recklessness." He and Link jumped in after Medli. At the bottom, Medli was waiting for the two boys. "We need to get to the center of the temple as soon as possible," she said, "That's the only place where we can make the prayer to restore the Master Sword's power." "Or half of it at least," L mentioned, "After this we still need to find the Wind Temple. Regardless, there's a good chance Ganondorf has yet another monstrous servant guarding the central chamber, along with someone from my old world." In front of the group was a wide gap, with no across other than gliding.

Link and L hurried across with their Deku Leaves, while Medli simply flew over. "So much for the easy part," Link said, "Let's not forget this is only the first room. Medli, there's a good chance we'll be fighting monsters in here. You'll need to stay clear of the fight zone when this happens." Medli nodded. Inside the next room, they saw a group of Moblins. "Time to get to work," L said as he drew his scimitar. He and Link charged at the giant pigs, who tried holding their spears point forward to stop the boys. L simply leapt onto on of the Moblins' spears and ran across it, slicing the boar across the face. Link held out his shield like a battering ram, causing another spear to break against it. He followed up by stabbing the Moblin that held it in the gut.

Medli covered her eyes, but peaked through her fingers as her friends easily dealt the small group. "By the sky spirit," she said when the Moblins were defeated, "I saw a little of Link's fighting skills back in Dragon Roost Cavern, but I had no idea you were so skilled Ryuzaki." L shrugged. "It's a gift." The group headed up the stairs at the back of the room. Seeing the door locked, Link looked around and saw two pillars with switches on them. "I got an idea." He carefully picked Medli up and jumped onto the first pillar. After stepping on the switch, he directed Medli to step on the switch on the other pillar. After she flew over to it and pressed it down, the door leading out opened up. The next room was filled with a group of Chuchus. Besides the red and green ones, there were a few black ones as well. Link started to hack through the group of Chuchus with ease, but his sword seemed to be ineffective against the black ones.

"Uh... Link," L said, "I think those are Dark Chuchus. You need to hit with light first." He pointed to a column of light that had broken through the ceiling. Medli quickly ran for the light column. As soon as she entered it, Link noticed her harp was reflecting light. "Medli, quick! Shine that light on the Chuchus." "Okay," Medli said. As soon as each Dark Chuchu was hit with enough light, they turned to solid stone. Link was then able to smash them into rubble using his Skull Hammer. "Not a bad thought Link," L said as he finished off the last of the normal Chuchus, "Now then Medli, I believe the same trick will work on that semi-translucent chest over there." Medli nodded, and directed the light onto the chest. Sure enough, the chest turned solid in an instant. Link opened it up to find a map of the temple. "Very good," L said as he bombed open a nearby warp jar.

The next room had a strange grinning face on the eastern side of the room. Beneath it was a mass of swirling purple fog. "Okay," Link said, "Even Moblins wouldn't be stupid enough to try going into that stuff. It looks toxic." "Unfortunately," L said, "We have to find some way of getting down there without being affected." He pointed to a giant peg in the middle of the floor. "Hang on," Medli said upon seeing another column of light, "I have an idea." She reflected the light onto the fog, causing it to clear up almost instantly. "Alright Medli," Link said as he headed through the path made by the light. He slammed down onto the peg with his Skull Hammer, opening the way into the next room. Once there, Link and L dealt with a pair of Red Bubbles. "Nice," Link said, "But it looks like we'll some more light in this room."

Link climbed up to a ledge on the southern side of the room and pulled it out of a way of a hole in the ceiling. Medli used the light coming from the hole to reveal a chest in the middle of the room, then hopped onto the plinth it was on. Link soon followed her and opened the chest. "We find small keys like this all over these temples and caverns," he said to Medli, "There's usually one for each locked door." "Uh... Link...," L said, "I think we have trouble." Two dark holes had appeared on the floor in the room. Link narrowed his eyes in confusion. "What are those things?" L gulped. "I think they may be Floormasters. According to the bestiary, they will attempt grab anything that gets too close to them and drag them through their lairs, sending them into a different part of it. If they either us or Medli it would waste us a lot of time."

Link hopped down to where L. "Alright, I'll lure it out, then you quickly stun it. I have an idea." L nodded. Once Link got close enough to the Floormaster, he hopped out of the way as the wiry hand tried to grab him. L quickly used his Boomerang to stun the Floormaster as Link prepared an ice arrow. Once the hand was frozen, Link shattered it with his Skull Hammer. "Nice trick," L said, "Let's do the same thing with the other one." Once both Floormasters where gone, Medli rejoined the boys as the opened the way to the next room. The next room had several more Chuchus, including two dark ones. Link noticed a large curtain on one side of the room and burned it down with a fire arrow. Instantly a cone of light shone into the room. Link and L then proceeded to destroy the regular Chuchus.

Once only the Dark Chuchus were left, Medli used the light streaming into the room to petrify them. Rather than destroy them, however, Link and L placed them on the two obvious switches at the base of a high ledge. This created a set of stairs from the ledge. "Better get up that thing before those Chuchus break free," Link said. He, L, and Medli hurried up the stairs. Before moving into the next room, L pushed a small block off the top of the ledge. It came down to the perfect height for them to return without using the switches. Inside the next room, Link and L dealt with another Floormaster in a lowered part of the room. After it was destroyed, Link noticed several tracks running through the room. Seeing a block along one of them, he pushed all the way onto a part of the track with a scorpion symbol. This opened up a skylight letting some light into the room.

"We can't be too far down," L noted, "If light can still make its way into this place." Medli entered the light and reflected it off her harp to destroy a statue on top of another block, as well as two nearby walls. "Say guys, why do you think light can so easily destroy this stone?" Link just shrugged. "Maybe there's something magic about the light." He and L pushed the two blocks that had been freed along their respective tracks until they clicked into place at the end. This not only unsealed the door, but materialized another chest. Link and L helped Medli get up on a ledge leading to both before climbing up themselves. L opened the chest there to find a compass. "It seems this compass has an extra feature Link. In addition to showing us the location of Ganondorf's servant in this temple, as well as all the remaining chests, it shows Medli's exact location within the temple in relation to us."

In the next room, L noticed something at the top of some stairs. "Link, I think there may be some Poes up there. They're like ghosts, and need to be hit with light to make them solid enough to attack. We should be careful though, as they have a nasty possession attack that makes it harder to move." Link nodded, and the two boys carefully climbed the stairs. "Huh," Link said when they reached the top, "Looks like we have some Moblins up here too." He and L drew their swords before attacking the group of enemies. Luckily there was a column of light nearby to use to defeat the Poes. After that, the southern wall dropped away to reveal some more stairs leading to a locked door. "No keys," Link said, "But there is another door in this room. I bet there's a key somewhere inside it."

The room in question had a series of coffins inside it, five in total. "Why do I get a bad feeling about this?," L said with a shudder. Link carefully approached the coffins. One of them opened up to reveal a zombie-like creature. "Link get back!," L yelled, "That's a Redead!" Link quickly leaped back before the Redead could bite him. L tossed a few bombs at the zombie, killing as soon as they exploded. "That was a little scary," Medli said, shivering a little. "What's you betting there are a couple more of those monsters lurking behind the coffins?," Link said. L closed his eyes. "I'd say there's a seventy-one percent chance that at least one more Redead is lurking behind them." They carefully tried the coffins one-by-one until they had destroyed two more Redeads. Luckily not all the coffins had them, in fact one had another small key.

"Great," Link said, "And it looks like a ladder out of here dropped down after killing that last Redead. What's say we keep moving?" They headed through the locked door in the previous room. In this new room, the group took a few steps forward before a new creature appeared from the ground. This massive, skeletal enemy brandished a large claymore and roared at the heroes. "And now we have a Stalfos," L said, "Link, the only way to destroy this thing for good is to destroy its skull." L grinned sheepishly. "And how are we supposed to do that when its twice our height. It's not like one of us can stand on the other's shoulders." L simply lit another bomb. "No, but there are alternatives. Get your Skull Hammer ready."

Before the Stalfos could react, L threw the lit bomb at the walking skeleton and reduced it to a pile of bones. Link quickly smashed the still-moving skull with his hammer before it could get too far. Just then, a couple of coffins opened up to reveal two more Stalfos. Link and L looked at each other before carefully taking the walking skeletons on one at a time. Once they were both dust, a staircase formed leading down to an ornate chest. "What's with this dungeon and all the undead freaks?," Link said in frustration. "I knew Ganondorf was powerful," L said, "But I had no idea he'd garnered some assistance from the afterlife. Anyway, let's see what's inside that chest." Link opened it to find a shield with a polished surface. "Here Ryuzaki. I think it's about time you had a proper shield." L adjusted the shield on his arm, testing it for maneuverability. "Sure, I can use this."

Back in the previous room, Medli noticed another column of light. "I think that light need to go on the wall below us, but how can we get it there?" L took a look at his new shield. The surface was so polished, it was almost like a mirror. "A Mirror Shield... Mirrors can reflect light... Medli. Try reflecting the light down to the floor." Medli nodded and did so. L dropped down to ground level and used his Mirror Shield to redirect the light onto the wall, destroying it. Right behind it was another door. "Now that was clever," Link said, "I should have known that shield was for more than just extra defense. Now we have two reflective surfaces." L nodded. "And something tells me we'll need them. Let's see where this new door leads."

As it turned out, the door opened onto a ledge above the room with the wall with the sinister smile. Link noticed there were two more columns of light to either side of the room. "I think both of those beams need to be reflected onto that face." Medli and L took either side and reflected the light onto the smiling wall. The grin soon changed from sinister to pleasant as an image of a sun was created from the light beams after a few seconds the image became permanent, filling the room with light and banishing the fog at the bottom of the room. This revealed a door leading down into the basement of the temple. "Well," L said, "We had to figure the ritual chamber is lower down." Inside the next room were two Bubbles, but they were covered in blue smoke instead of red. "Ryuzaki," Link said, "If the Red Bubbles burn an opponent contact, what about the blue ones."

L flipped through his bestiary. "Apparently the Blue Bubbles cause a strange effect which makes a victim's arms to weak to carry even a small leaf. Fortunately, we have the mean to dissipate their smoke." He got out his Deku Leaf, approached the Blue Bubbles, and swung the leaf. He and Link then used their sword to shatter the vulnerable skulls. After Link got yet another strange Tingle Statue, the group headed across a rope bridge to another stone slab with the directions for the Earth God's Lyric. Link conducted Medli to play it, causing the slab to crumble to dust. "Something tells me," L said, "That after this point is the temple proper. Which means the danger is going to be even greater. Let's be careful."

* * *

Light was surprised at calm Misa was. He had just finished going over everything that was missing in her memories. He figured it was the best to explain the situation. Really, he was expecting her to be livid. _'I guess I should have known. She really does love me that much.'_ "So Light, were you really planning on sacrificing Takada the whole time." Light nodded. "I figured it was a given that either Near or Mello would try to kidnap her to incite a reaction from me, which is why I chose the suicide route. But I made the mistake of not informing Mikami of my intentions, which is why I finally lost." He turned to his beloved. "Misa, I was hoping I wouldn't have to tell you all this. I mean, our lives here would have fine without that knowledge. But now I'm starting to think it's better if I'm more honest about our past."

Misa sat down next to Light and hugged his arm. "I understand. And, I know at first our relationship was one-sided. But I'm glad that in this world, we can just live our lives in peace." Light nodded and smiled. "Well, once L and Link are done with Ganondorf anyway. Oh yeah, that reminds me. Do you remember Higuchi?" Misa made a disgusted face. "You mean that pervert from our old world. Boy how I wish that memory was gone." Light chuckled. "Yeah, I'll bet. Anyway, on that day we were supposed to be married, he was there hoping to spoil the party, kill me, and take you for himself. Guess that cyclone turned out to be a stroke of luck." Misa giggled. "Yeah, a blessing in disguise. I'm glad I haven't seen him in this world yet." "And you won't see him in this world at all," Light said, "He's gone forever. After Link and L defeated him in the Forbidden Woods, his life force completely drained." Misa crossed her arms. "Well good riddance."

* * *

Back in the Earth Temple, Link, L, and Medli were in room containing two more Redead. The good news was that both of them were on opposite side of the room and hadn't yet noticed the group. Also inside the room was another column. "I have an idea," L said. He stood in the center of the light and used his Mirror Shield to reflect the light onto the Redeads. Instantly they froze in terror. "Cool," Link said, and he hacked the zombies to pieces with his Master Sword. As he wiped his sword clean, Link turned to L. "How did you know those things were vulnerable to light?" "I remembered reading it in the bestiary," L explained, "But until now we didn't have any means to exploit that fact." Using the Mirror Shield yet again, as well a couple mirrors in the room, L was able to use the light to remove a few statues in their way.

This opened up two doors to the east and west. The group decided to go through the western one first. Inside this room was fog-filled maze that seemed to have several Floormasters hiding in it. "No way through except for the maze," Link said, "I'm assuming there's nothing lethal about it. But I have a feeling those Floormasters aren't there for nothing. Medli, Ryuzaki, you two stay here just in case." He carefully made his way into the fog. Seconds after he did, he felt his arms go numb. _'Yeah. I figured something like that might happen.'_ He slowly made his way through the maze, carefully avoiding the Floormasters. Eventually he reached a chest outside of the fog on the other side of the room. Once Link felt his arms regain his strength, he opened the chest.

Once he got the key inside the chest, the fog inside the room cleared up, making the Floormasters completely visible. Rejoining with L, the two heroes dealt with each one of the Floormasters until all six had been defeated. This caused a chest to materialize near the south end of the room. Link opened it to find another treasure chart. "You gotta figure there are only so many of these left," he said to L, "I mean, how many islands in the Great Sea could still have these sunken treasures." L scratched his temple. "Not too many, I should think." They rejoined Medli and together they headed through the other door in the previous room.

This room had more fog along a wide corridor, as well as two more Floormasters. "I don't we'll have the luxury of clearing the fog this time Link," L said, "But there is another way to defeat those Floormasters. Like most common enemies, they're actually vulnerable to any sort of weapon." Link got it. "Like arrows. We used ice arrows to stun them before, let's see how much more damaging fire arrows would be." Link used his fire arrows to defeat the first Floormaster, then crossed the room and waited until the feeling in his arms returned. He then defeated the other Floormaster in the same manner. L followed him and pushed a giant mirror shaped like a scorpion across a shallow groove in the floor onto the matching tile.

Link then noticed a grate that seemed to lead to another room. "No way through this, unless you're incorporeal." He saw a stake nearby and used the Skull Hammer to activate it. This opened up a skylight in the ceiling. The light that shone through bounced off the mirror and through the grate into the next room. "Perfect," L said, "Now we need to find another way to move forward." He and Link rejoined Medli and returned to the previous room. Spotting another door above a ledge, Link moved a nearby block in room so that they could climb up to it. Inside this new room were a few Red Bubbles and some Poes. Link noticed that the light from the other room was shining through the grate. "Awesome, those ghosties can be made solid when exposed to light." Once L had reflected the light onto the Poes, Link was quick to finish them off as well as the Bubbles.

L then tried reflecting light onto a nearby statue to destroy it, but nothing happened. "That's strange. This hasn't been a problem before." Link scratched his chin in thought. "Maybe it needs to be done in a certain way. Try reflecting the light away from the statue. And Medli, you redirect it back onto the statue." "Okay," Medli said, and she stood where L reflected the light. Sure enough, Link's plan worked. The statue crumbled away to reveal a door leading out. The next room was filled with coffins as well as a few Keese flying about. L used his boomerang to deal with these first. He and Link then carefully opened all the coffins, dealing with two Redeads and a Stalfos by the time they were all opened. At the end of the hallway was another stone slab depicting the Earth God's Lyric.

"I guess someone wanted to make sure the Sage of Earth was still being led through here," L said as Link conducted Medli again. The room beyond the slab had a spiraling staircase that led all the way down to the door to the ritual chamber. "Too bad we don't have the key to this door," Link said, "But seeing as how there are other, smaller doors leading elsewhere in the temple, I suspect we didn't miss it along the way." The group continued down the staircase until they reached another door leading to a truly massive room. "Judging from how far down we've traveled," L said, "I'd say we can't be too far from the original entrance to this temple. It's going to take a while to actually solve whatever puzzle is in this room." Link nodded. "Let's take it one step at a time. Now, bear in mind I'm probably just going off of intuition, but Ryuzaki, Medli, I'll need both of you to follow my directions exactly."

They started with Medli flying up to the pillar in the center and hitting the switch there to open the skylight. Link and L then dropped to the lower part of the room and pushed the two scorpion mirrors onto the tiles at the end of their respective tracks. One of them reflected the light beam a little further into the room. Medli flew over to this reflected light and used it to reveal a chest. She then used the light to dissolve another pillar to reveal a new mirror. "I'm starting to certain stone structures in this temple are just illusions," she said. She finished her turn by shining some of the reflected light towards a small alcove. L hopped up onto the pillar in this alcove and used the reflected light to dissolve a nearby wall. This revealed two more mirror statues.

Once he and Link dragged the statues to their respective tiles, it reflected the light in a W pattern. Link also noted the light was now being directed through the central pillar. He next had Medli get fly over to a pillar in the northwest of the room. Here she used the reflected light to reveal another chest, as well as dissolve another statue and a wall. Behind the wall they noticed a secret door. Medli finished by reflecting the light onto a smaller pillar. L used this reflected light to dissolve the wall on the northwestern side. This revealed two more mirror statues, which L and Link moved into their final positions. This caused the light to reflected towards a another face with a sinister grin on the northern side of the room.

L and Medli each one of the two pillars near the face and reflected the light onto it, turned the creepy face into a smiling sun. This filled the whole room with light and caused a few panels below the face to drop down and reveal a door. Inside the room where two Blue Bubbles and a Darknut. "Been a while since we've fought one of those," L said, "Better stay back Medli." After Link dealt with Blue Bubbles, he charged the Darknut, ducking under its sword swing and slicing away at the exposed straps to its armor. L leapt over the Darknut, using his Mirror Shield to gain extra balance. One the way down, he finished the job of slicing off the Darknut's armor. The two boys dove aside as the Darknut swung its sword around. "Time to try a new trick," Link said as he charged up his sword. He ran toward the Darknut, releasing the energy he built up to unleash his devastating Hurricane Spin.

Medli covered her eyes as the Darknut was cut clean in half. "Ouch," was all L could say when he saw Link's feat. Link finished wiping off his sword as the Darknut exploded into dust. Afterwards, a nearby gate opened revealing an ornate chest. L opened it to find the big key. "Okay," L said, "One last detail before we finish this place off." The group returned to the giant mirror room and entered the door behind the secret passage that had been revealed earlier. Inside were three coffins. Link hopped down to try opening them, but they wouldn't budge. "Medli," L said, "Try shining the light in this room on them. One at a time, if you please." Medli nodded. It turned out L was right to be cautious, as the first coffin had a Stalfos inside it. L quickly tossed a bomb to shatter the skeleton so Link could destroy the skull.

After dealing with two more Stalfos, a chest appeared containing another treasure chart. After that, the group returned to the door to the ritual chamber. Before opening the door, Link said, "Medli, it may be best if you stay out here until we've dealt with whatever's in there." "Okay," Medli said, "Be careful." Inside the ritual chamber, Link and L saw a group of Poes dancing around a young woman with short black hair. L recognized her pretty quick. "Oh, I think that's Takada. I've only seen her once at Light's college." Takada must have heard L, because she turned around to face them. Link noted that she was wearing little more than a belly dancer's outfit. "Heh, trying to attract Light to you?," he said with a chuckle. Takada smirked. "Laugh if you must, but I know Light is still out there. He promised to make me his goddess, and I know he will keep that promise."

It was L's turn to smirk. "Right now Light is making up for lost time with Misa. From what I've observed of him in this world, it's clear he's truly in love with her. In fact the very reason he sided with Ganondorf in the first place was to find her again." Takada balled her fist as she scowled. "No. You're lying. Light told me... He said Misa was too stupid for him." L shrugged. "He was probably just trying to give some reason as to why he would leave her, fake as it was. I'm sure even he could see that Misa is far more intelligent than she seems. When she puts her mind to it, she's capable of some pretty sophisticated plans." Takada was taken aback. "But... No... That night at the hotel... During our meal together she was spouting so much nonsense and acting like a complete idiot."

Link crossed his arms. "Really. Were you two drinking our anything? I once heard from Sturgeon that certain drinks, such as wine, can dumb down a person's intelligence." Takada gasped. She remembered how heavily Misa had been drinking that night. The gravity of it must have been immense, because she sank down to the floor. "Well then, I see you two are determined to make me realize it wasn't meant to be. But then, why would Light date me in the first place." "Well," L said, "It would make him look more like an ordinary college student if he were dating someone. But enough of this. We came to deal with Ganondorf's servant, so that the power of the Master Sword can be returned." Takada smiled. "Then it was foolish of you to bring the sage..." She then noticed that only Link and L were in the room with her.

"Oh," Link said, "Were you expecting the Sage of Earth to be with us? Come on now, there's no way we'd be so stupid. True, we needed the sage's help to come this far, but we knew it was too dangerous to bring them into the ritual chamber." Takada scowled. "Then it would appear you will need to dealt with first." She stood up. "Jalhalla!" The Poes that were still surrounding her joined together in the center of the room, creating a much larger mask. They then formed together into a single, massive Poe. Link calmly drew his Master Sword. "Same deal as before Ryuzaki?" L nodded as he drew his scimitar. "Let me start you off on Jalhalla." He leaped into a nearby beam of light and focused it on the mass of ectoplasm. Once Jalhalla was solid enough, he ran over to it, knocking Takada aside with his shield along the way.

Before Takada's eyes, L picked up the massive ghost and threw it at one of the spiked pillars. Jalhalla would up slamming into Takada as it rolled helplessly into the statue. Link meanwhile was prepping another Hurricane Spin. As Takada tried to get up, L ran over to her and kicked her in the throat. She wound up coughing up blood as she flew across the room. Link watched as Jalhalla split into the multiple Poes that made up its form. He quickly unleashed his Hurricane Spin, taking out a good deal of them in one strike. "Time to trade," he called over to L as he saw the remaining Poes reform into a much smaller Jalhalla. L had Takada slung onto his shield. He tossed her over to Link, who brought his Master Sword into a vertical arc to strike her.

L waited until another beam of light appeared and used it to stun Jalhalla again. "Heads up Link," he called out as he lifted the massive Poe up and threw him toward the statues again. This time Takada was thrown along with Jalhalla into the statues. She screamed in agony as the spikes pierced through her abdomen. Link finished off the remaining Poes once Jalhalla split again. With no more Poes to form him, Jalhalla's mask flailed around until it ran into one of the light beams and shattered. With Jalhalla destroyed, Takada's life force was drained in a black cloud. Link and L watched as her shriveled corpse turned to dust and light filled the ritual chamber. As Link picked up the Heart Container that was left behind, Medli entered into the room.

"A sad fate that befell that poor woman," L said as Link placed the Master Sword into the pedestal in the center of the room. For a final time, Link conducted Medli with the Earth God's Lyric. As Medli began to play, an image of Laruto appeared beside her. L watched as a bright blue light surrounded the Master Sword, filling it with newfound energy. Instantly, the hilt of the sword transformed. Link picked the sword up again and felt the power rushing through him. "It's done," Medli said, "The Master Sword has been returned to half its strength." "Then we need only restore the sage at the Wind Temple to break Ganondorf's seal," L said, "And something tells me we'll find a similar situation there." Link nodded. "By the way Ryuzaki, are you sure you don't anything about Mikami beyond what Light told us?" L thought about. "Actually, the name does sound familiar. But I'd need to see him in person first."

* * *

Deep within the Wind Temple, Mikami frowned. "Takada has failed, again. And like before, she has payed for her failure with her life. Ganondorf warned us not to underestimate the heroes." He remembered back to time in the old world. Kira had been his god, in fact to him Kira still was God. He felt it must have been a fluke that mere humans had been able to defeat him. "I know you are still out there God, and I await your return." Mikami believed that Kira was planning on overthrowing Ganondorf, taking the king of evil's power for himself and ruling over all of the Great Sea with a just and judging hand. "He'll rule it all, and I shall be there to serve him when the time comes. God is infallible."

Next chapter: Violins and Victory

**Mikami's a bit of a fanatic, isn't he. Read and review.**


	13. Chapter 13: Violins and Victory

**Almost done with this. I'm excited.**

Chapter 13: Violins and Victory

"Set the bait down there Link," L said. They were back on Outset Island, where L was using the Power Bracelets to lift up Abe's giant black pig. The boys had heard that the oversized porcine loved to dig, so they were taking it to various spots around the island to see what it could dig up. Catch was it would only do so after being fed. They found what looked like a good spot and set it down after setting out the bait. When the big pig dug up the patch of dirt, it revealed a Piece of Heart. After that, they used their treasure charts to find another Piece of Heart at Bomb Island, as well as rupee caches at Five-Eye Reef and Bird's Peak Rock. "Now that we have that out of the way," Link said, "Let's hurry to Gale Island."

As the island's name suggested, a fierce wind could be seen blowing from a stone edifice on the island. Link slipped on his Iron Boots and slowly trudged up to the slab. Gripping his Skull Hammer as tightly as he could, Link slammed it into the slab and destroyed it instantly. The maelstrom quickly died down to a calm breeze allowing L to join his friend. Inside the cavern on the island was another slab with a song on it. "Second verse, same as the first," Link said, "Though there may be certain details that are different." He used the Wind Waker to conduct the melody, called the Wind God's Aria. As soon as Link learned it, a young boy looking no older than Link or L appeared. He was dressed in a manner similar to Link, and had bright blonde hair and a cheerful face.

"You must be one of the Kokiri," Link said. The boy nodded. "Yes. My name is Fado. In life I was a good friend to the Hero of Time. Not many people know or even remember this, but he was actually raised in the forest we Kokiri called home. In fact, I remember Saria had a childhood crush on him." "Well," L said, "According to the Book of Mudora, she was the same age as the Hero." Link frowned. "Too bad it may not have worked out. Didn't you mention during our travels that Kokiri were known to maintain the appearance of a child throughout there entire lives?" L nodded. "Anyway, we know the situation here. Ganondorf's forces invaded the temple, stole Fado's soul, and now we have to find his descendant to replace him." Fado chuckled. "I see you've already been to the Earth Temple. The you'll also know you need to find the person who carries the same instrument as me."

He showed the boys his violin. "There's no need to say it Ryuzaki," Link said, "I distinctly recall Makar using that same violin at the forest ceremony, and we already know the Koroks are descendants of the Kokiri." "Good," L said, "Then let's stop talking and head for the Forest Haven." Once they arrived, L noted that he could easily hear the sound of violin music coming from outside the haven itself. _'I always thought having elf ears would be useful.'_ He and Link tracked the music to a small waterfall. "We need to get down there without being washed away by the river," Link said, "Let's try using the grappling hooks." The boys lowered themselves down to the waterfalls level and then swung inside.

Sure enough, Makar was inside a small cave hidden by the waterfall. When the little Korok saw Link and L, he started smiling. "Hey, you're those nice giants that helped me earlier." Link grinned sheepishly. "I guess Koroks see people like us as giants because we're bigger than them." L chuckled. "It's good to see you again Makar, but what are you doing in here?" Makar held up his violin. "I was just practicing a new song for next year's forest ceremony. I didn't realize my music was so loud." Link pointed to his ears. "Well these aren't just to frame our faces." He noted Makar's looked exactly like Fado's and pulled out the Wind Waker.

"Oh cool," Makar said, "You have a baton. Are we going to play a new song." Link nodded. "And a very special one at that." He conducted Makar in the Wind God's Aria. As Makar began to play it flawlessly, L watched in amazement as he turned into the image of Fado. He continued to play while Link conducted, and when they finished Link and Fado took a bow. L couldn't help but applaud. "Not bad," he said as Fado turned back into Makar. "Wow," the little Korok, "That was strange. But I feel different now. I think I understand everything. It's time for me to take my place of destiny within the Wind Temple. I'm sure the Great Deku Tree knew this all along, or else why would he have entrusted with this sacred violin?" Link smiled and nodded. "Then let's head back to Gale Island."

* * *

Inside his true citadel, Ganondorf was listening to Mikami give his report. As the last of his generals, Mikami was in charge of searching for the girl now known to be Zelda. "And you're sure that she's not on any of the islands." "I have sent the more intelligent of your servants to check every inch of the Great Sea," Mikami said, "I even had them double check our former bases. I thought perhaps they might have hidden her in ritual chamber of the Earth Temple. We can no longer enter there after Takada's demise." Ganondorf shook his head. "That place is too important. Other than the sage of the temple, only the holder of the Wind Waker is permitted to enter once the temple has been cleansed. If Zelda is no longer on the surface, then there is only one place she can be."

* * *

The trio stood at the entrance of the Wind Temple. Having opened it with Makar's help, they now needed to head to ritual chamber in the center of the temple. "Let's keep our eyes open," L said, "There's a ninety-nine percent chance Mikami knows we're here and will be expecting us." "You're still trying to figure out where you've heard his name, aren't you?," Link asked. L nodded, and the two boys jumped down to a lower part of the room. Down here, they were quickly attacked by a Wizzrobe and a Stalfos. After Link dealt with the Wizzrobe using a fire arrow, he and L worked together to defeat the Stalfos. "Why did we come down here?," L asked. Link pointed to the downdrafts over a gap in the platforms. "We need our Deku Leaves to get across that, but it's impossible with those winds in the way."

Makar was soon joining them. "I could get up there no problem." Link nodded. "I figured that, but seeing as how we know there are going to be dangerous enemies here, I thought it best to deal with them first." Makar nodded, then flew up to a switch on the other side of the room, shutting off the winds. Link and L then stood on a nearby springboard. "Here goes," Link said as he put on his Iron Boots. This compressed the springboard down. L gulped, and then Link took his boots off, causing the two boys to go skyrocketing back to the entrance of the room. "Well," L said when they landed safely, "That was a lot better than we usually do." They repeated the same trick to cross the gap to the other side of the room, only this time using their Deku Leaves to get across.

The next room was split in two by a wire-mesh screen. Link quickly dealt with the two Armos that in the room, the noticed another wind switch like the ones in the Forbidden Woods. "I think this calls for the good old Deku Leaf," he said. Swinging it, the switch caused the screen to move out of the way for the group to move through. Carefully dodging around a swinging blade, they came to the door on the other side of the room. "Looks like the door is sealed," L said, "How do we open it?" Makar walked over to a patch of soil on the floor. "Leave that to me." He planted a seed into the soil, which instantly grew into cone-shaped tree. "These seeds came from the Great Deku Tree himself," Makar said, "They only need soft soil to grow."

After Makar planted another seed in a soil patch on the other side of the door, the door opened letting the group through. In the next room, Makar hopped up the platforms planting seeds in the soil patches on the ledges. Once he planted the last seed, he was ambushed by Floormasters who dragged him away to another part of the temple. "What was that you were saying about a ninety-nine percent chance?," Link said to L. L sighed. "Well, I wasn't actually expecting a trap." He then noticed the nearby door had been unsealed. "Though if he was Mikami was planning to halt our progress, he failed." Link grabbed one last Tingle Statue before the two boys headed into the next room. This room was huge, and was likely the central hub of the temple. A giant screen prevented any access to the upper levels.

Looking around, Link soon saw Makar locked away in an alcove to the north. "You okay Makar." The little Korok nodded. "A little shaken up but otherwise fine. There's a giant stone behind me that leads to an easy exit, but to move it you'd need to be as heavy as the Great Deku Tree." "Somehow I doubt the Iron Boots will make you that heavy Link," L said, "We'll have to think of something else." Link nodded. "Let's at least start by finding our way to that stone. We'll find a way to destroy it when we get there." The boys headed through the eastern alcove of the room, taking out a couple Armos Knights along the way. The next room was blocked off by another screen. After dodging another moving blade, L spotted the wind switch for it on a lower part of the room.

"Careful Ryuzaki," Link said, "There may be more Floormasters." L nodded and dropped down, and sure enough a Floormaster tried to ambush him. Link was already prepared with an ice arrow and froze the fiend before it could move. He then jumped down and shattered the Floormaster with his hammer. L then activated the wind switch with his Deku Leaf. Hopping back up to where the screen had been using another springboard, L quickly whipped out his boomerang and used it to defeat a couple Peahats that where on the other side of the screen. Link noticed a stone slab with the Wind God's Aria on it on the eastern wall. "We'll have to come back to this with Makar. Luckily it looks like there's another door out of here."

Inside the next room, Link and L used their Deku Leaves to move upward using the updrafts in the room. Along the way they had to use a few wind switches to move screens blocking their way, and they also had to deal with Wizzrobes and Peahats. On the way up L was able to obtain a map of the temple. Finally the heroes made their way in a giant circular room that looked like it an inactive fan at its bottom. After Link used his Iron Boots to activate a switch near them to open a screen below them, the duo jumped down to the basement using their Deku Leaves as parachutes. In the basement were two doors, with only one of them opened. "Sometimes I prefer a bit of linearity," L said as they took the unlocked door.

The door on the northern side of the room was blocked off by spikes, and below it was five cracked tiles. "Too tough-looking for bombs," L noted, "Link, try the Iron Boots." Link broke through one of the tiles with boots, and on the floor underneath the room he moved a block with a springboard onto a special black tile. After using another nearby block to get back up to the ground floor, Link saw L grab a key from a chest where the spikes used to be. "Whatever you did down there caused the spikes to recede," L said. Link looked at the other tiles. "I wonder if they all lead to the same place." Link broke through the tiles one by one and wound up having to fight Red and Green Chuchus, Floormasters, and Armos.

When he defeated the last of the enemies, he got back to the ground floor where he saw L taking a treasure chart out of another chest. "We find things in the strangest of ways," L said, "Now let's go through that locked door back in the previous room." Once through the locked door, the duo found themselves inside a seemingly empty room. "You know," L said, "Every time we wind up in a room like this, I start to expect some sort of mid-way fight." Sure enough, they heard a loud screeching noise coming from the center of the room. They turned to see a much larger Wizzrobe with a more ornate dress style. Before the boys could react, the Wizzrobe summoned a smaller Wizzrobe and Darknut. "I've got the small-fry," L said, "You take care of that bigger Wizzrobe before we get overwhelmed."

Link nodded, and started by launching a fire arrow at the smaller Wizzrobe. He kept his bow out and started looking for the larger Wizzrobe while dealt with the Darknut in short order. It didn't take long before Link was able to find and nail the Wizzrobe with another fire arrow. It took three such arrows, but soon the large Wizzrobe was dealt with. Once the boys finished with the few enemies it had managed to summon, an ornate chest appeared in the center of the room. Inside Link saw two devices that appeared to be made of a spearhead on a retractable chain. "I think these are Hookshots. Sturgeon mentioned that these were used by mountaineers in the days of old to scale cliffs that were otherwise unclimbable. And what luck that there are two of them."

He gave one of the Hookshots to L and then looked around the room. Spotting what looked like a bullseye on side of the room, Link tried his Hookshot on it and found himself dragged over to the high ledge beneath the target. Seeing a nearby stake, Link used his Skull Hammer on it to unseal the door leading back out. Using their new Hookshots, Link and L made their up across the ledges around the wall of the giant room. Eventually, they found a giant stone statue with another Hookshot target on it. Link looked at the map they had and realized they were right outside Makar's cell. "These Iron Boots may not make as heavy as the Great Deku Tree, but with the Hookshot maybe I can get the leverage I need to bring that statue down anyway."

Both he and L stood out of the way before bringing the giant stone down. Once the way out was unblocked, Makar rushed out and grabbed Link and L's legs. "You guys saved me again!," he bawled out. "I'd watch the waterworks," L said while scratching his temple, "You're likely to swell up. Anyway, now that our group is together again, let's hurry through the rest of this temple." The group returned to the room where Makar had first been kidnapped. After Link took out a nearby Wizzrobe with his bow, the group headed up the platforms using the Hookshots on the trees Makar had planted earlier. "No Floormasters this time," L noted, "Mikami probably thinks his trap was successful." The group headed through a door near the highest ledge.

In the next room Link spotted some Blue Bubbles. "Let's see how effective the Hookshot is against these floating skulls." He fired his Hookshot and managed to hook on of the Bubbles. The skull was dragged over to Link so fast it lost all of its smoke, rendering it vulnerable. After taking care of both Blue Bubbles, Makar flew up to a nearby ledge and planted a seed in the soft soil. Link and L were then able to follow Makar using their Hookshots. In this way they were able to keep climbing to the top of the room. Going through the door here, they found themselves back in the room with the giant fan. Link and L stepped on the two switches, which allowed access into the main part of the room and opened the way down to the fan.

Makar spotted something down near the fan, so he carefully dropped down ti the area around it. Here, he spotted some more soft soil. Once he had planted a couple of seeds in the soil, it kick-started the giant fan. Makar then rode the updraft back to Link and L, and together the three of them rode the updraft even higher to another door. Inside this new room, Link and L found themselves having to deal with a whole squad of Armos "Geez," Link said, "I'm glad there are only two of these temples." He spotted chest behind a grate that had opened after the last Armos was defeated. Inside the chest was a key. After returning to the fan room, the group backtracked all the way to the slab Link and L had passed earlier.

Once they arrived, Link conducted Makar using the Wind God's Aria to destroy the slab allowing them access to the room behind it. Inside this room were three Darknuts, one of which was carrying a buckler shield. "It seems some monsters are starting to grow some brains," L said, "But we can use our shields more effectively." The two boys charged at the Darknuts while Makar hid in a corner of the room. By the time the dust settled, only Link and L were still alive. "I think the Master Sword actually got a bit stronger after Medli's prayer," Link said. L smirked. "Isn't that the idea." Makar ran to the duo. "That was so cool. It's just like the stories the Great Deku Tree would tell us, but with one more Hero helping out." L smiled as he opened the chest in the room. Inside was the key to ritual chamber.

Back in the fan room, the three of them waited until the fan stopped, then jumped to floor underneath it. Here they saw another door and headed through it. In the new room, they were greeted by a Wizzrobe and two Stalfos. "Ever feel like we somehow have a warning signal on us Ryuzaki?," Link asked. "While I doubt that's the case I see where you're coming from," L said, "I think it's more likely that these monsters were strategically placed to be in our way. Too bad they're not as smart as their master, or I'd call this good planning." Link nodded as he quickly took out the Wizzrobe while L dropped a bomb between the two Stalfos. Link pulled out his Skull Hammer to smash the Stalfos into dust once they had been blown apart.

Once the fight was over, Link used his Hookshot to pull his way up the various ledges. Along the way he pulled down a few statues using the Hookshot and Iron Boots. Behind a few of these statues were some Bokoblins. "Been a while since I faced you guys," Link said with a smile, "So who wants to taste steel first." "We've gotten more than our fair share of practice against those creatures," L said to Makar as he side-stepped a fallen Bokoblin. Before the creature could get up from the fall, L stabbed it with his scimitar, causing it to explode into dust. Once all the Bokoblins were defeated, L opened the chest that appeared to find a treasure chart. Then he and Makar joined Link at the top of the top just as he unsealed the door.

The next room had a few more Bokoblins with shield as well as some Armos Knights. "I wonder if they've run out of ideas," Link said, "Have we run through the entire bestiary yet Ryuzaki?" "Almost," L replied, "But we have encountered pretty much every normal enemy Ganondorf can throw at us." Once the enemies were dealt with, Makar flew over the horizontal whirlwinds in the room and planted a seed in the soft soil on the other. With the whirlwinds stopped, Link and L used their Hookshots to cross over to the other side of the room. After dealing with another Floormaster and some Peahats, the group headed into the next room. Inside the room was a giant fan as well as a few moving blades.

L couldn't help but sigh in frustration. "Well, both me and Makar will have to piggyback on you Link." "Great," Link said sarcastically. Makar jumped on Link's head and held on for dear life. With L riding piggyback, Link put on his Iron Boots and used the blocks in the room in order to avoid the blades while he moved toward the big fan that constantly blowing towards the entrance to the room. Once he reached a door underneath the fan, he quickly went through so L and Makar could get off him. "You remember that even back in Dragon Roost Cavern," Link said, "Same situation here. And that goes double for you Makar."

At the other end of the room was a stone slab with the Wind God's Aria on it. Link conducted Makar to dissolve the slab, allowing access to the ritual. "Mikami will be in there," L said, "Makar, you'd better stay out here until we're done. From what we've seen, Ganondorf's generals can't control where the monsters within their domain go to. That means you should be safe just outside the door." "Okay," Makar said, "Be careful you guys." Link nodded. "We've all right so far. Still, that's no reason to get cocky." He and L entered the ritual chamber. The whole chamber appeared to be filled with nothing but sand. The boys spotted Mikami standing on a stone platform in the middle of the chamber. "Oh yeah," L said, "I remember you now. About a month before I got started on the Kira case, you were the prosecutor for trial involving a young man alleged to have stabbed his father to death."

"And to this day I believe the jury got it wrong," Mikami said, "We had good evidence to support a guilty verdict. How those jurors could have found otherwise is beyond me." L smirked. "Well, you were using unreliable witnesses, real evidence with false facts, and a misunderstanding of the defendant. Really, after how long that jury was deliberating, I'm not surprised they came to the conclusion that your case was too weak." "Let me guess," Link said with a smirk, "He's the kind of prosecutor who thinks every defendant brought in for trial just has to be guilty, no questions asked." L nodded. "Yep. I believe I told about his type during our sailing trips. It all stems from his background you see. Let's just say he had the wrong idea about standing up to bullies."

Mikami growled. "You confuse me, L. You say you stand for justice, but you think my standing up directly to those bullies was wrong. You're no different than my mother." L waved his finger at Mikami. "You seem to have gotten the wrong idea from her words. It's not like school bullies are some dark evil that threatens an enchanted kingdom. There are ways of dealing with them that don't involved getting a black eye. For example, why didn't you simply inform a teacher or the school principal. They may not listen at first, but if you keep at it, sooner or later they will do something." "I dunno," Link said, "Mikami doesn't strike me as the patient type, at least not from first impressions. They say the only thing needed for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing, and I'm thinking Mikami takes that way too seriously."

L scratched his temple as he looked at Link. "You may be right, which makes it ironic that he's sided with Ganondorf, the king of evil himself." Mikami smiled. "This is just part of Kira's plan." "I was wondering when talk would turn to him," L said, "Of course you realize that because Kira is in this world, that means he lost in our old world, right?" "A minor setback," Mikami said, "But now Kira has returned, stronger than ever. And when the time comes, he will overthrow Ganondorf and begin to lead this world into an era of peace." "Uh oh Ryuzaki," Link said, "He's delusional. Clearly he doesn't realize that this world was already experiencing peace before Ganondorf arrived. Seriously, all you gotta do is take him out of the equation."

"Besides," L said, "Kira doesn't even have any powers in this world. Or did you forget all his power came from the Death Note?" Mikami scoffed. "Clearly you two are the deluded ones. Rise, Molgera!" The sands around the room rose up to swallow the stone platform. After a bit, Mikami rose above the sands riding on a giant sand worm. The worm's mouth opened wide to reveal a large yet thin tongue. Once Molgera dove back under the sand, Mikami leaped off it and ran to attack the boys. The duo dove aside before he could bring his leg down to strike them. L then knocked Mikami forward with his Mirror Shield. "Allow me to show you how I fight, Mikami."

Link, meanwhile, waited for Molgera to emerge from the sand again. Once it did, Link quickly grabbed its tongue with the Hookshot and pulled it down to his level. Pulled out the Master Sword, Link stabbed the tongue multiple times while holding onto it with the Hookshot. With L armed as he was, he found dealing with Mikami rather easy, even fun. "I wonder why Ganondorf never gave you generals any real powers beyond being to control his strongest servants." Mikami scowled. "And what would you know of power." L smiled. "I know there's a difference between it and strength. Just ask Link." As Mikami looked to see how Link was dealing with Molgera, L stabbed him through the gut with his scimitar. "Made you look."

Link was soon finished with Molgera, who flailed about above the room before turning to sand and exploding. With Molgera destroyed, Mikami's life force quickly drained away until his dried-up corpse was indistinguishable from the sand around them. Once the sand receded to the point where the stone platform was visible again, Makar entered the chamber. "Great work you two. Now we need to hurry and restore the Master Sword's full power." Link placed the Master Sword in the center of the Triforce symbol on the platform, and again conducted Makar with the Wind God's Aria. As Makar played, and image of Fado appeared playing alongside him. As the song continued, more blue energy flowed into the Master Sword. When Link picked up the sword, he felt the immense power flowing through it. It felt lighter and stronger in his hands, truly deserving of the name it was given.

"It's done," Makar said, "The Master Sword now has its full power back, and it again truly the Blade of Evil's Bane. With its power to repel evil restored, you can again use it to defeat Ganondorf. Until then, I will continue to stay here and pray that the sword retains it power. Good-bye, my friends. I hope to see you again soon." Link and L waved Makar good-bye and returned to outside the temple. Once back on Gale Island, they saw the King of Red Lions speaking with a local merman. "Ah, just in time you two," the figurehead said, "This merman was just telling me that the Forsaken Fortress has been completely cleared out. There's been no sign of Ganondorf or even his minions since Valoo torched the lookout at its peak."

L put a hand to his chin. "I sincerely doubt Ganondorf would be so easy to get rid of. He may simply have relocated to his true citadel of darkness." The King of Red Lions nodded. "My thoughts exactly. Link, I see you were able to restore the Master Sword to its full power. Good. We will need it soon enough. I am worried about Zelda. Once Ganondorf figures out she is no longer above the waves, he will search under them. Who knows how long it will be before he finds the secret chamber. We must find the shards of the Triforce of Courage and assemble them as soon as possible, and then return to Hyrule. Zelda may need your protection sooner than we think." "Then we have no time to lose," Link said, "I'd prefer to start at Windfall Island so that we may plan our journey." He and L got on the boat and headed off.

Next chapter: Triforce and Triumph

**Almost done, just two more chapters. This is getting awesome. Read and review.**


	14. Chapter 14: Triforce and Triumph

**I'm almost done. ZaleAcorn, I hope your reading this. I don't know if you'd have taken the story in the direction I have, but I hope I've made you proud.**

Chapter 14: Triforce and Triumph

"That may have been the last of the exploration on the Great Sea," L said, "Barring the hunt for the Triforce shards of course." Prior to sailing for Windfall Island, the duo had found one last treasure chart at Link's Oasis. Their remaining treasure charts led them to a Piece of Heart at Thorned Fairy Island, as well as two final rupee caches at the Star Belt Archipelago and the Islet of Steel. "Alright your majesty," Link said to the King of Red Lions, "You said the shards of the Triforce of Courage are beneath the waves, so I'm assuming they require more treasure charts to find, correct?" The King of Red Lions nodded. "That's right. There are eight to find, and getting to the charts that lead to them will prove your greatest challenge yet."

"We may have a way to find them," L said, "Tingle has mailed us a chart with the location of the Triforce charts. Of course, it cost a hefty sum of rupees for the postage, but I believe it will be worth it." He showed Link Tingle's In-credible Chart. "It points to all the islands that have a Triforce chart on them," L explained, "Tingle is clearly well-traveled." "If that's the case," Link said, "Once we find the charts we should bring them to him. I'd imagine the Triforce charts are still old Hylian, meaning we'd need someone's help making sense of them. Tingle could probably help us out by marking exactly where we'd need to salvage."

"That is wise," the King of Red Lions said, "Because this is part of a test to prove your courage to the gods, I cannot help you save for transporting you to each island." "And letting us use the cannon," L said, "And the salvage crane..." "Yes well," the figurehead said, "I suppose that goes without saying." Link chuckled. "So, which island first." L looked over the chart. "Let's try for the Islet of Steel." They set sail for the islet, which looked much like a small fortress. Surrounding it was several cannon boats and a few Kargarocs. L set up their boat's cannon and started firing. "Try to focus on that cannon boat at the entrance," Link said, "It's blocking our way."

Once L had cleared out all the enemies, they sailed inside the islet. On a small platform inside, Link noticed a symbol similar to those he had seen in the Tower of the Gods. "I think I know what to do here." He stepped on the symbol and conducted the Wind's Requiem. Almost instantly a chest appeared nearby. Link opened it to find the first Triforce chart. "One down and seven more to go. Where to next Ryuzaki?" L checked the chart. "Looks like there's one at Link's Oasis. We're heading for that cabana you now own." "Cool," Link said, "Let's head there." After heading for the oasis, Link showed the cabana deed to the door butler.

"Cool digs," L said, "But where are we supposed to find the Triforce chart?" Link looked up at the ceiling to find a grapple point. Using his grappling hook on it, his weight triggered a switch that turned off a nearby fireplace, revealing a secret cavern. "I'm guessing the chart is somewhere in this cave," Link said, "Whoever built this place must have realized its importance and left a way to enter it." The two boys made their way through the small cavern until they found another wind crest. When Link conducted the Wind's Requiem on it, it revealed another chest containing a Triforce chart. "That's two," L said, "They say a job well-begun is half-done, and we're already off to a great start." He turned to Link. "There's another Triforce chart at Bird's Peak Rock. Let's head there next."

Once on the island, Link spotted several Kargarocs and seagulls. "I think I know what we need to do here. See the crystal switches in the Kargaroc nests?" L nodded. "I get it. We need to use one of the seagulls to hit all the switches. But what about the Kargarocs in the way?" Link smiled. "That's the easy part." He pulled out his bow and quickly sniped all four Kargarocs flying around. After that, he placed a Hyoi Pear to control one of the seagulls. Once the gull had hit all six switches, the way opened to a secret cavern. Inside, it was a simple matter of yet again playing the Wind's Requiem on the symbol. "And that's three charts," Link said when he opened the chest that appeared. L checked the chart. "Looks like one of the Triforce charts is on the mysterious Ghost Ship. It would be the perfect place to hide a chart since the ship is rumored to only appear on certain islands when the moon is out."

Link put a hand to his chin. "It would help if there was some kind of chart to show us where and when the Ghost Ship appears." L nodded. "Not to worry, Tingle's thought of that too. He's marked Diamond Steppe Island on the chart, but with a chart symbol instead of a Triforce symbol. I'm guessing that's where we'll find the chart we're looking for." On the island, the duo used their Hookshots to reach the top where they found a secret cave. Inside was a maze filled with warp jars and Floormasters. After getting to the end of the maze, Link and L found a chest containing a Ghost Ship Chart. "This is just what we need," Link said, "It shows the Ghost Ship appearing at the Five Star Isles, the Star Belt Archipelago, Greatfish Isle, Crescent Moon Island, Diamond Steppe Island, Bomb Island, or Spectacle Island, depending on the current phase of the moon."

L took a look. "It seems we won't have to travel far to find it. It appears tonight, right here at Diamond Steppe Island." Sure enough, that night as the boys were waiting, Link spotted the Ghost Ship through his telescope. "There it is Ryuzaki. Set course and get ready to board." L sailed the King of Red Lions right through the ship. As soon as they got close, Link and L blacked out. The interior looked much like a regular submarine, albeit in disrepair. There was a beam of light shining through the roof, and at the the bottom were a few Poes, a Stalfos, and a Wizzrobe. "Looks like we'll have to fight to retrieve the Triforce chart," L said as he pulled out his scimitar. Using his Mirror Shield to solidify the Poes, he then threw a bomb at the Stalfos to shatter it.

Link, meanwhile, had taken out the Wizzrobe using a fire arrow. After quickly destroying the Stalfos' skull with his Skull Hammer, he and L proceeded to finish off the Poes. With all the enemies defeated, a ladder leading up to a chest dropped down. As soon as Link opened it, the world went white. When he woke up, he and L were back on the King of Red Lions. It was morning, and the only thing that kept Link from thinking the whole thing had been a dream was the Triforce chart in his hand. "Looks we have four now," Link said to L, "Though that was one big trip." L nodded. "I daresay that's the last anyone will see of the Ghost Ship, now that it's done its job."

He checked the chart. "The next Triforce chart can be found at Needle Rock Isle, and from the look of this chart it's found inside a cannon boat." "Shouldn't be a problem," Link said as he took the tiller, "We've dealt with cannon boats before." The cannon boats were found just off the shore of the island, and L was quick to notice that one of them was colored gold. "That must be the cannon boat we're looking for, but let's take them all out to avoid any hassle." Once all the cannon boats had been destroyed, Link was able to pull up the Triforce chart. "Nice, just three more to go." L looked at the chart. "And it looks like the next one is back home at Outset Island."

Link scratched his head. "It must be pretty well hidden then, cause I think we'd remember seeing something like that around our home." Once on the island, L noticed a high ledge on the side of the mountain. "Up there, I think." He and Link used their Hookshots to reach the high ledge, where they found a giant stone head. "This one's yours Ryuzaki," Link said. L nodded as he used his Power Bracelets to lift up and throw the stone head away. Underneath it was a secret cave. "This could get interesting," L said as they jumped inside. Once inside the cave, Link read the stone slab inside. "Well now, it seems we've entered the legendary Savage Labyrinth. I've heard about it from Sturgeon, and from what he says it's more of a gauntlet than a labyrinth. But basically we'll be facing every normal enemy we've ever encountered up until this point."

L smirked. "Then this should prove a challenge." They headed through the gauntlet floor by floor dealing with all kinds of monsters along the way. While they were able to get the Triforce chart at only level thirty-one, they kept going until they reached the fiftieth level, where they found one last Piece of Heart. Back on the surface, the duo headed for Stone Watcher Island. Here L got rid of yet another giant stone head blocking a secret cave. Inside it was a simple matter of defeating a smaller gauntlet of enemies, including Armos, Moblins, Wizzrobes, Bokoblins, and finally two Darknuts. Once they had dealt with everything the cavern had to throw at them, Link again used the Wind's Requiem to reveal another Triforce chart. "Where's the last chart Ryuzaki?"

L checked the chart. "The last Triforce chart can be found at Overlook Island. After that we should head for Tingle Island to see about getting these charts translated." The island had yet another secret cave with a gauntlet of enemies. After dealing with Armos Knights, Stalfos, Wizzrobes, Bokoblins, and Darknuts, Link was able to get the final Triforce chart using the Wind's Requiem. "That's all the charts. Now we just have to get Tingle to translate them for us." It cost quite a few rupees, but Tingle was able to translate all eight of the Triforce charts. With the charts translated, Link and L were able to retrieve the Triforce shards at Greatfish Isle, Gale Isle, Stone Watcher Island, Outset Island, the Cliff Plateau Isles, Southern Triangle Island, the Seven-Star Isles, and Two-Eye Reef.

Once the last shard was found, the eight shards linked together and fused back into the Triforce of Courage. "Well done," the King of Red Lions said, "Now we return to the Tower of the Gods." Once they reached the flooded courtyard of the tower, Link raised the Triforce piece to sky. In a bright flash, the Triforce of Courage disappeared, only to reappear on the back of Link's sword hand. "Amazing," the King of Red Lions said, "I should have known all along that the blood of the Hero ran through your veins Link. Now the power of the gods flows through you, and you shall forever be known as the Hero of Winds." "That's fine and all," L said, "But we should hurry back to Zelda. There's a seventy-one percent chance that Ganondorf may have found her location while we were busy above the waves." The figurehead nodded. "You're absolutely right Ryuzaki. Let us hurry." And with that, the King of Red Lions dove below the waves to Hyrule.

Next chapter: Family and Finale

**Next's one the last one folks, so read and review.**


	15. Chapter 15: Family and Finale

**The finale. Time to end this story on a high note. By the way, at one point you'll need to listen to the main Wind Waker theme (you'll it when we get to it).**

Chapter 15: Family and Finale

Link and L raced into the grand hall of Hyrule castle to find a terrible sight. Much of the hall was wrecked, the ten hero statue along its sides reduced to rubble. Then saw something gasp in terror. The statue of the Hero of Time had been broken and pushed back to reveal the hidden chamber behind it. "Zelda..." As Link raced off, L spotted something that seemed to have been loosed during the rampage. Picking it up, he saw it was an instrument called an ocarina. L pocketed it before joining Link in the secret chamber. As he arrived, he saw Link lower his hand. Just then a terrible laugh echoed through the chamber. "Ganondorf," Link said.

"Did you really think this castle was safe from me?," Ganondorf chortled, "With my power at its fullest, there is nowhere I cannot reach. Now Zelda is with me, and you two shall fall into eternal slumber!" Suddenly the entire chamber became surrounded in fire. From the ceiling dropped two giant Darknuts. In addition to buckler shields, these Darknuts had capes hanging from their shoulders. "Is this you plan to make us sleep?," Link said, "Battles like these just make us more awake!" He and L drew their swords. Rather than charge head-on, Link quickly dove past the Mighty Darknuts and hit their capes with fire arrows. L then slashed at their backs until the straps holding their armor fell away. "The best he has," L said, "And still not enough." With that, he and Link ran their blades through the Darknuts.

As the fire subsided, the boys sheathed their blades. "Taking out that easy trap was all well and good," Link said, "But we need to find Ganondorf and rescue Zelda." L nodded. "Perhaps we should explore out the other doorway in the grand hall." Outside the castle, the duo saw for the first time the once-great kingdom of Hyrule. "I can almost imagine a time when this land was thriving," L said, "Before Ganondorf's evil forced the gods to drown it." As they headed up the path, they found themselves blocked by an invisible barrier. Link placed his hand on it, then drew the Master Sword. "Time to see what this sword can really do." With a few well-placed swings, Link made quick work of the barrier, allowing the two of them to approach Ganondorf's castle.

After dealing with Chuchus, Peahats, Moblins, Darknuts, and even Keese, Link and L were able to Hookshot their way into the castle. Once inside the central room of the castle, L had a look around. The room was filled with lava and brimstone, rather fitting for one known as the king of evil. Besides the large door at the far end, there were four other doors leading off to the side. In front of each was a statue of each of the generals Ganondorf had, save for Light. "No doubt we'll find Ganondorf's servants behind those doors," L said, "Except for the Helmaroc King that is." Link nodded. "Or Gohdan for that matter, since he was a creation of the gods. Since we'll probably need to fight all of them, why don't we just go in the same order as we fought them before?"

Heading through the door next to the statue of Beyond, the boys used their grappling hooks and Deku Leaves to reach a door on the far side of the hallway. Inside, L blinked a few times. "I feel as though I've stepped into one of my old world's silent films from the thirties." "So it's not just me that sees that all the color is drained from this room?," Link said, "Good, then I haven't gone crazy." Just then, Gohma emerged from a lava pool in the center of the room. "This shouldn't be too hard," Link said, but then he noticed that his Hookshot was missing. "I think we can only use tools we had when we fought Gohma before," L said, "It looks like you still have the Master Sword though, so that means this will go by faster."

"Good," Link said, "Because I don't want to waste any time." After defeating Gohma a second time, the room dissolved and the duo was thrown back into the central chamber. As L watched, the statue of Beyond disintegrated into dust. "Alright then, time for the next room." The next room they entered was right next to a statue of Higuchi. "They almost look like they're in torment," Link said, "Though I hardly feel sorry for them." Just as the previous hallway was reminiscent of Dragon Roost Cavern, this hallway was similar to the Forbidden Woods. Using the Deku Leaf and a series of cable cars, the boys soon reached the door leading to yet another colorless room. "This is getting trippy," Link said, "Is Ganondorf warping us into the past or something?"

"I doubt that," L said, "Or else we'd fight his generals as well. No, I think what's happening here is that we're in the remnants of his servants life force, and Ganondorf is simply using his magic to hinder us up to the point when we actually fought this monsters." As L spoke, Kalle Demos appeared again to attack the boys. Using his new Hurricane Spin, Link found it all too easy to defeat the overgrown plant a second time. Once again the duo was sent back to the central chamber as the room dissolved, and L saw Higuchi's statue be destroyed. The next door they went through was next to a statue of Takada, and it was clear that the room beyond it was based off the Earth Temple. A series of switches helped them reach the door leading to yet another rematch, this time with Jalhalla.

"Too bad I already had the Master Sword at that point," Link said after they defeated the giant ghost again, "Or this could have gone faster." The statue of Takada crumbled, leaving only one door left. In the final hallway, next to a statue of Mikami, the similarities to the Wind Temple were clear. Using their Deku Leaves, the Iron Boots, and Link's Hookshot, the two boys soon reached the final chamber with a rematch against Molgera. With the final rematch dealt with, the boys were returned to the central chamber one last time. As the Mikami crumbled, the large door at the other side of the room unsealed and disintegrated. "Looks like we have our way forward," L said, "Now the real fight begins."

After ascending a winding staircase, the duo found themselves in front of a massive, evil-looking door. "That just screams 'evil king behind here', doesn't it?," Link asked. L nodded. "I guess Ganondorf's not one for subtlety." Heading through the right door, Link noticed a few torches go up in a particular sequence. "That looks important. Did you catch the order Ryuzaki?" "Yep," L said, "Let's head through the other door real quick." After crossing to the opposite room, L used his Boomerang to hit four crystal switches in the same order as the torches. This opened up a swirl of purple energy. Then to the boys amazement, the King of Red Lions sailed through the waters.

"I see you're surprised," the figurehead said, "Not that I blame you." He looked at the energy swirl. "This no doubt is the same portal Ganondorf used to reach the surface of the Great Sea. I believe we may be even now beneath the Forsaken Fortress above. We could easily use this for ourselves, should you feel there is anything you may have missed." "Good to know," L said, "But I think right now our priority should be dealing with Ganondorf." The boys returned to the torch room and looked down a deep chasm on one side of the room. L picked up a loose rock and threw it down the chasm. The quick sound of stone hitting stone was encouraging.

"If we can hear it," Link said, "Then it can't be too far down. Let's go." The two heroes jumped down to a lower level of the castle. In the new room, the boys looked as Phantom Ganon appeared yet again. "Jeez, what does it take to destroy this guy for good?," Link wondered. Quickly dispatching him as before, the phantom dissipated leaving behind only its sword. The sword fell to the ground blade-first and then fell over with its hilt pointing to one of the doors. "Something tells me we need to go through the door the hilt is pointing at," L said, "There's a sixty-two percent chance we may be in a maze of some kind."

Making their way through the maze, defeating Phantom Ganon several times along the way, the duo reached a fog filled room. After defeating Phantom Ganon yet again, the door leading out unsealed and an ornate chest appeared in the center of the room. Link went over to it. "These chests have always held some time type of important item. I wonder what it will be this time." He opened the chest and pulled out a golden colored arrow. The arrow turned into light and went inside Link. "Whoa!," Link exclaimed as felt the energy within him. "Unreal," L replied, "I think those may be the legendary Light Arrows I heard about from the Book of Mudora."

"Amazing," Link said, "How do they work?" "According to the book," L explained, "The Light Arrows hold the power to destroy any monster in a single hit. Even someone as powerful as Ganondorf would fall before them after enough hits. In fact, they have often been used in conjunction with the Master Sword to defeat the king of evil and stop his plans." Link nodded, understanding. "Then they're just what we need to end all this." They headed back to the room at the top of the stairs, where Phantom Ganon was waiting for them. Link quickly charged up a Light Arrow and struck the phantom with it. Almost instantly the dark being turned white as a thousand light beams emerged from him, before he dissipated forever.

"Nice," Link said, "Now let me get the door." He picked up Phantom Ganon's sword, which had been left behind, and used it to destroy the door barring there way. With the way forward open, the two heroes hurried up another set of stairs. Along the way they defeated a few final enemies, some Darknuts and some Moblins. Finally, they reached the upper chamber. The massive room had a pool of shallow water throughout it, and in its center was a bed covered by a long curtain. Sleeping upon it was Zelda. "There she is," Link said, but L held him back before he could approach. Sure enough, Ganondorf showed up on the other side of the bed.

Link got his sword ready, but Ganondorf simply raised a hand. "Don't be too hasty boy, we'll have our fight soon enough." He placed his hand over Zelda's forehead, the Triforce of Power glowing on his hand. "I can see into her dreams. Oceans... Oceans... Oceans... As far as the eye can see.. They are too vast to swim across... They yield no fish to catch." "The Great Sea...," Link realized. Ganondorf nodded. "You've no doubt heard of Hyrule's final hours from the king. Even I would be moved to tears from it, though the thought of it is almost laughable. The remainder of the people, living on a handful of islands like forgotten leaves scattered across a pool. Why can you not see... YOUR GODS DESTROYED YOU!"

As Zelda's bed was lifted to the ceiling, Ganondorf raised his head towards Link and L. "I'm impressed you were able to restore the Master Sword to its full power. I have been waiting long for one with blood of the Hero to challenge me again. You'd best not disappoint me." And with that, he began to transform into a giant, puppet-like version of a Moblin. "That's big," L said, "How are we supposed to defeat him?" Link took a look, then saw the puppet's tail. "There, see the glowing orb on its tail. If I can hit that with a Light Arrow, that may deal some damage. But we need to cut those strings first." L smirked. "Leave that to me."

As the two boys dodged the giant puppets attacks, L used his Boomerang to slice the smaller ropes holding up its limbs and tail. Once this was accomplished, Link aimed a Light Arrow at the orb on the tail and fired. The effect was instant, and the puppet collapsed. Rather than disappear, however, it was lifted to the ceiling. There it transformed into a giant tarantula. "Okay," L said, "What now?" Link looked down on the pool. "We just need to look at the big spider's reflection in the water. We can anticipate where it will land and strike when it does." Right before the big spider came crashing down, Link and L dodged it so that the tail orb was right to them.

Link quickly got out another Light Arrow and fired, dealing more damage to the giant puppet. As the spider went limp, it was once again raised to the ceiling and came down again, this time in the form of a giant snake. The two boys leaped out of the way as the serpent slithered around the room in unpredictable patterns. Staying as much out its way as possible, Link took careful aim with another Light Arrow and was able to completely shatter the tail orb with a final strike. As the puppet exploded, Link turned his head up to where Ganondorf's laughter was coming from. "Well done boy," the evil king said, "You certainly live up to your legacy. Follow me if you dare, and we will put an end to this."

As Link prepared to climb the robe that had been the giant puppet's main string, L held him back. "After all this," Link said, "You're trying to stop me Ryuzaki?" L shook his head. "I just thought it would be best if you went in fully prepared." He handed Link his Boomerang, Power Bracelets, and Mirror Shield. Link looked at his best friend. "What about you?" "The Master Sword will need to be at its strongest during this fight, and I happen to know of a way to get that done." Link pulled out his Wind Waker to hand it to L, but L refused it. "I won't need it. Link, this is fight only you can win, but you can rest assured I will always be there to support you." And with that, L headed out for the portal to the surface.

Link took several deep breathes. "Well Link, now's the time to prove yourself once and for all." He climbed all the way up to the very top of Ganondorf's castle. Here, he saw Ganondorf just standing there. Next to him was Zelda, unconscious but alive. Ganondorf turned his eyes to Link. "Ryuzaki did not follow?" "This battle is between us," Link said, "I'm sure Ryuzaki realized this." Ganondorf nodded. "Just as well." He closed his eyes. "The land I was born in was a desert land. By day the harsh winds scorched the land, and by night the cold winds chilled it. Whether it be night or day, in the desert the wind brought only death. But in Hyrule, I quickly noticed that the wind brought no death, only comfort. Perhaps I coveted that wind."

He turned to face Link. "But of course the only way I could have it was take by using the Triforce. From the beginning I have held the Triforce of Power, and with Zelda here I now have the Triforce of Wisdom. All I need is the Triforce of Courage." Before Link could react, Ganondorf appeared before him and knocked him out with a quick backhand. The Master Sword was flung out of Link's hand, landing a few feet away from Zelda. "Fear not child," Ganondorf said as he held Link aloft, "I will not kill you. It is not necessary to retrieve the Triforce you bear." As Ganondorf spoke, the three Triforce pieces glowed and reassembled, forming the complete Triforce once again.

"After so many centuries," Ganondorf said, "The Triforce complete again. Now, gods of Hyrule, hear my wish. He who touches the Triforce first may have their wish, and mine is have the sun once again bear down upon Hyrule, and the kingdom to mine forever!" But before Ganondorf could the Triforce to make his wish, he was surprised to see King Hyrule had already touched the Triforce. "You said it yourself," the king said, "The first person to touch the Triforce gets their wish granted." He looked up to the sky. "Gods of Hyrule, hear my wish. Wash this land of Hyrule away forever, and give Link and Zelda hope for the future in a new land."

Once the king's wish was complete, the Triforce glowed and shot up into the air. "It is done," King Hyrule said, "And you, Ganondorf, will now drown with all of Hyrule." Before Ganondorf's eyes, the sea above them slowly began to fall in a torrent upon his castle. As Link came to, he heard Ganondorf laugh more maniacally than ever. "So my plans are undone," Ganondorf said, "But what future could possibly await these children, if they are still down here?" "Why not see for yourself?," came Zelda's voice. As Link turned to look at her, he saw her holding the Master Sword. It was clearly very heavy to her. "Here Link," the princess said as she handed Link his sword, "And sorry for oversleeping." Link smiled as could still see something of the young pirate captain in Zelda's eyes.

"I think it's time we end this," Link said to her, "Then you and I can return to the surface together." Ganondorf drew his swords and prepared to fight. "Bah! I'll show you the future that awaits you!" Link handed Zelda his Hero's Bow. "This may be the only defense you have. Hope your aim is good." "Don't worry about me," Zelda said with a familiar wink. Link dodged a few swiped from Ganondorf's swords before parrying and striking him hard. "Still stings after so many centuries, huh?," Link said, feeling more confident now that his sword could hurt Ganondorf. Before the evil king could retaliate, Zelda shot him with a Light Arrow, stunning him long enough for Link to get in a quick combo. Angered, Ganondorf backhanded Zelda, knocking her out.

* * *

Back on the surface, L stood at the top of the Tower of the Gods with Medli and Makar. With them were Komali, Raye, and Naomi. L held out the ocarina he had gotten back at Hyrule Castle. "If I'm right, then this is the legendary Ocarina of Time. Using it's magic in conjunction with the sages, we should be able to increase the power of the Master Sword even further. And right now Link needs all the help he can get." Medli and Makar nodded. With Komali provided a percussion background, L led the sages in a gentle melody that carried across the entire Great Sea. From Outset to Windfall and everything in between, the song seemed to carry the strength of people across the vast ocean and beneath it.

* * *

Link heard the melody play in his mind. With newfound strength, he got up ready to face Ganondorf again. As the king of evil swung at him, Link dodged aside and ran to wake Zelda. "You okay," he said to her. Zelda nodded. "Yeah, but this is going on too long. Link, try to get in front of him, and I'll ricochet an arrow off your shield to strike him." Link nodded and circled around Ganondorf. Before the evil king could figure out what was happening, Zelda fired a shot the reflected off of Link's Mirror Shield. The arrow struck Ganondorf, crippling him. "This ends now," Link said as he charged Ganondorf. Dodging a final sword swing, Link plunged the Master Sword into Ganondorf's head.

As Ganondorf chuckled weakly, his very form started turning to stone. Link, weary from his battle, began to collapse. Zelda quickly ran over to him to help him stand. "It's over at last," came King Hyrule's voice. The king walked over to the children. "I am sorry for all that has transpired. I had stayed in the past, just as Ganondorf did. But seeing your strength Link, as well as Ryuzaki's, has made me realize that the time has come to move forward. You should both live for the future. I am sorry that all I have to leave for you is the Great Sea." "Can't you come with us?," Zelda said, "We could look for the new Hyrule together."

King Hyrule shook his head. "There will be no new Hyrule. The new land that I wished for will in fact be yours." Just then, the torrent of water came down in full force. Link and Zelda were encased in air bubbles and began rising to the surface. Link tried to take King Hyrule's hand, but the king simply lowered it and smiled. "Farewell, great Hero of Winds. May you continue the legacy left by your ancestors."

* * *

Link finally hit the surface, and saw that Zelda, once again transformed into Tetra, was right next to him. "Well," Tetra said, "I'm glad we're safe and all, but what now?" "Why not just ask for a lift?," came Komali's voice. The two kids turned to see him hovering over the waves. Right behind him was Tetra's ship, with Aryll, Light, Misa, Medli, Makar, Raye, and Naomi on it. L was following in the King of Red Lions. "You know Link," L said, "I've always thought there was something special about you. By the way, the King of Red Lions went silent. Did something happen to the king?" "Yeah," Link said, "But how about we get onto dry land first?"

* * *

The next few days were filled with happier time. Light and Misa finally had their wedding, Mello reclaimed the Forsaken Fortress with Mila alongside him. Maggie had gone off for parts unknown, and many speculated she was with her Moblin lover. Eventually, Link and Tetra has decided to travel across the sea together and find a new land to settle. As Aryll saw her brother off, she turned to L. "You know, I'm happy for them. Tetra seems like the right kind of girl for my brother." L nodded. "And who knows, maybe we'll see them again." Aryll nodded. "And in the meantime, maybe we can work toward a future of our own." She kissed L on the cheek. "I could actually fall for you," L said. Aryll giggled. "I hope so. Cause I've begun to realize... That I really like you Ryuzaki." Link looked back at the island to see L and Aryll sharing a kiss. "It's about time," he said softly.

The End

**FINALLY OVER! Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed writing this, but it took so long and there were times when I lost motivation. But now it's done and I can move on to other projects. In fact, for my next story, I'm returning to what I've dubbed the "Persona X Death Note" saga. You know, with the III from "If This Be Godhood" and "I Reject It"? Anyway, keep an eye out for my next story "Rise of the Ace Attorney". I think you're gonna love it.**


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